Fort Ebey State Park — a state park in Island County, Washington — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Coupeville, about 800 m away (Fort Ebey State Park lies ESE of town).
Fort Ebey State Park is a public recreation area occupying the site of former Fort Ebey on the west side of Whidbey Island, five miles (8.0 km) west of Coupeville in Island County, Washington, United States. The state park covers 651 acres (263 ha) overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and lies within the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. It is managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Ebey State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Ebey State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 52° NE | 9:16 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:00 AM | 126° SE | 4:20 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 20m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 47m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 12m |
| June | 4:29 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:55 PM | 16h 03m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 52m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 15m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:50 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:54 PM | 8h 22m |
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 Fort Ebey State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:48 AM – 4:18 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:52 AM – 2:52 AM | 1.0 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:37 AM – 1:37 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 11:58 PM – 12:48 AM | 0.8 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:33 PM – 10:53 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.61 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (83%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 58 | 68 | 69 | 83 | 91 | 91 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 78 | 64 | 58 |
| Low °F | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 47 | 46 | 41 | 28 | 15 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.4 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 8.1 | 6.7 |
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Fort Ebey State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
State ParkLighthouse
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Ebey State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fort Ebey State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Ebey State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Ebey State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Ebey State Park?
How far is Fort Ebey State Park from Coupeville?
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.