Fort Flagler Historical State Park is a state park in Jefferson County, Washington. It sits roughly 5.4 km (3.4 mi) ESE of Port Townsend. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Flagler Historical State Park is a public recreation area that occupies the site of Fort Flagler, a former United States Army fort at the northern end of Marrowstone Island in Washington. The state park occupies 1,451 acres (587 ha) south of the entrance to Admiralty Inlet, and the Marrowstone Point Light stands adjacent. Port Townsend is visible to the northwest, the cranes at the Navy base on Indian Island to the west, and Whidbey Island to the east across Admiralty Inlet. Flagler Road (SR 116) terminates at the park entrance.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Flagler State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Flagler Historical 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 | 9:15 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:59 AM | 126° SE | 4:20 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 21m |
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 | 3:54 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:18 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 | 6:22 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:11 AM | 6:00 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:55 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 40m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:49 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 8h 23m |
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 Flagler Historical State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| 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 | 3:47 AM – 4:17 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:49 AM – 2:59 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:28 AM – 1:48 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:54 PM – 12:54 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:32 PM – 10:52 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: 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 ≈ 20.44 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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Fort Flagler Historical State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
State Park
State ParkLighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Flagler Historical State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fort Flagler Historical State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Flagler Historical State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Flagler Historical State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Flagler Historical State Park?
How far is Fort Flagler Historical State Park from Port Townsend?
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.