View of pebble beach and tide flats near low tide at the beach on the Hood Canal at Belfair State Park in Washington state, USA.
  1. Home
  2. State Parks
  3. Washington
  4. Mason County
  5. Belfair State Park
47.4298° N122.8760° WBortle 5Los Angeles

Belfair State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Mason County, Washington

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 235°–307°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug
Photo: ECTran71 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Belfair State Park is a state park in Mason County, Washington. It sits roughly 4.3 km (2.7 mi) WSW of Belfair.

Belfair State Park is a public recreation area located on Hood Canal three miles (4.8 km) southwest of Belfair in Mason County, Washington. The state park consists of 94 acres (38 ha) of tidal flats, wetlands, and beaches with a 3,720-foot (1,130 m) shoreline. Park activities include camping, fishing, swimming, clam digging, crabbing, birdwatching, and field sports.From the Wikipedia article “Belfair State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Belfair
4.3 km (2.7 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
July
46% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
1.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:43 PM
sunset 6:25 PM

Light at Belfair State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:38 AM
Sunset
6:16 PM
Golden hour AM
7:19 AM – 8:21 AM
Golden hour PM
5:33 PM – 6:35 PM
Blue hour AM
7:07 AM – 7:19 AM
Blue hour PM
6:35 PM – 6:47 PM
Full darkness
7:58 PM – 5:57 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:56 PM / 1:15 AM
Day length
10h 38m
Sunrise azimuth
105°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Belfair State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:15 AM89° E7:24 PM271° W42°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:15 AM53° NE9:13 PM307° NW66°15h 58m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:59 AM89° E7:11 PM271° W43°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:57 AM125° SE4:24 PM235° SW19°8h 27m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:20 AM7:55 AM8:45 AM3:58 PM4:48 PM5:23 PM8h 53m
February6:46 AM7:18 AM8:01 AM4:52 PM5:35 PM6:07 PM10h 18m
March6:55 AM7:25 AM8:06 AM6:37 PM7:17 PM7:48 PM11h 52m
April5:51 AM6:24 AM7:05 AM7:19 PM8:01 PM8:33 PM13h 37m
May4:59 AM5:36 AM6:20 AM7:57 PM8:42 PM9:18 PM15h 06m
June4:34 AM5:15 AM6:03 AM8:23 PM9:11 PM9:51 PM15h 56m
July4:52 AM5:31 AM6:17 AM8:19 PM9:06 PM9:44 PM15h 35m
August5:35 AM6:09 AM6:51 AM7:43 PM8:25 PM8:59 PM14h 17m
September6:19 AM6:50 AM7:30 AM6:45 PM7:25 PM7:56 PM12h 36m
October7:00 AM7:31 AM8:13 AM5:43 PM6:25 PM6:56 PM10h 54m
November6:44 AM7:17 AM8:04 AM3:50 PM4:37 PM5:10 PM9h 20m
December7:17 AM7:53 AM8:46 AM3:29 PM4:22 PM4:58 PM8h 29m

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 Belfair State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-6°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
MarchBelow 10° in darkness—10°—
April3:46 AM – 4:26 AM0.713°SSE → SSE
May1:45 AM – 3:05 AM1.313°SSE → S
June12:16 AM – 2:06 AM1.814°SSE → S
July11:47 PM – 1:07 AM1.313°S → SSW
August10:29 PM – 10:59 PM0.512°SSW → SSW
SeptemberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
DecemberBelow 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.29 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6463718790931009191797160
Low °F131525293140464639281613
Precip. (in)6.74.55.43.82.82.00.71.12.34.87.56.8

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.
  • Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
  • 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 Belfair State Park, closest first.

Twanoh State ParkState Park
Twanoh State Park9.7 km away · Mason County
Waterfall
McKenna Falls13 km away · Kitsap County · 103 m
Jarrell Cove State ParkState Park
Jarrell Cove State Park16 km away · Mason County
Cutts Island State ParkState Park
Cutts Island State Park19 km away · Pierce County
Waterfall
Lilliwaup Falls19 km away · Mason County · 6 m
Kopachuck State ParkState Park
Kopachuck State Park20 km away · Pierce County
Triton Cove State ParkState Park
Triton Cove State Park21 km away · Mason County
Penrose Point State ParkState Park
Penrose Point State Park21 km away · Pierce County
Joemma Beach State ParkState Park
Joemma Beach State Park23 km away · Pierce County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Belfair State Park?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Belfair State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:43 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:25 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:13 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Belfair State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 53° in June to 125° in December; sunset ranges from 307° to 235°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Belfair State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Belfair State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Belfair State Park from Belfair?
About 4.3 km (2.7 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.