Located in Snohomish County, Washington, Mount Pilchuck State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Granite Falls, about 14.0 km (8.7 mi) away (Mount Pilchuck State Park lies ESE of town).
Mount Pilchuck State Park is a public recreation area located seven miles (11 km) east of Granite Falls, Washington, on the western edges of the Cascade Mountains. The state park features 1,903 acres (770 ha) of alpine scenery, recreational activities, and Mount Pilchuck itself. The main point of interest is the 3-mile (4.8 km) trail to the peak and the old fire lookout located on the summit, 5,324 feet (1,623 m) above sea level.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Pilchuck State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Pilchuck State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (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 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 53° NE | 9:11 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 126° SE | 4:17 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 22m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:44 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 8h 49m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:26 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:56 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:51 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 40m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:03 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:45 AM | 3:21 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:51 PM | 8h 24m |
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 Mount Pilchuck 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 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 | 3:43 AM – 4:13 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:45 AM – 2:55 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:24 AM – 1:44 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:50 PM – 12:50 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:28 PM – 10:48 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 ≈ 20.76 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 42% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 47 | 50 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 87 | 90 | 90 | 86 | 76 | 55 | 41 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -12 | 1 | 16 | 28 | 34 | 35 | 24 | -2 | -17 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 10.7 | 9.1 |
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 Mount Pilchuck State Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Fire Lookout
Lake
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Mountain Peak
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Verlot Campground4.3 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Tulalip Mill Site Group Campground4.5 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- Gold Basin Campground4.6 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- Turlo Campground4.9 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Wiley Creek Group Camp5.9 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Pilchuck State Park?
What time is golden hour at Mount Pilchuck State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Pilchuck State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Pilchuck State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Pilchuck State Park?
How far is Mount Pilchuck State Park from Granite Falls?
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.