Yachats State Recreation Area — a state park in Lincoln County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 13.2 km (8.2 mi) SSW of Waldport.
The Yachats State Recreation Area is a state park in southern Lincoln County, Oregon, in the central district of the town of Yachats. It is administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is located on the Pacific Ocean coast, on the north side of the mouth of the Yachats River. The park is open for day use only, and offers wildlife and surf viewing, tidepools, fishing, and picnicking.From the Wikipedia article “Yachats State Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Yachats State Recreation Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 55° NE | 9:05 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 123° ESE | 4:41 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 51m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:12 PM | 8h 52m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Yachats State Recreation Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:09 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:06 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:12 AM – 3:42 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:29 PM – 2:59 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:14 PM – 1:44 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:45 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:37 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.76 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 65% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (83%). August is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 57 | 60 | 61 | 68 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 68 | 71 | 67 | 62 | 60 |
| Low °F | 32 | 32 | 36 | 40 | 44 | 49 | 50 | 52 | 50 | 39 | 35 | 30 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Yachats State Recreation Area, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
Wilderness Area
State Park
Covered Bridge
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cape Perpetua3.4 km (2.1 mi) · reservable
- Tillicum6.4 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
- Rock Creek Oregon Coast (Siuslaw National Forest, Or)14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Canal Creek17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Horse Creek Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Yachats State Recreation Area?
What time is golden hour at Yachats State Recreation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Yachats State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Yachats State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Yachats State Recreation Area?
How far is Yachats State Recreation Area from Waldport?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.