Mount Spokane State Park — a state park in Spokane County, Washington — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Spirit Lake, about 19.0 km (11.8 mi) away (Mount Spokane State Park lies WSW of town).
Mount Spokane State Park is a public recreation area in the Northwestern United States, located in the Selkirk Mountains, 23 miles (37 km) northeast of the city of Spokane, Washington. The state park surrounds 5,883-foot (1,793 m) Mount Spokane and other peaks including Mount Kit Carson, Beauty Mountain, and Quartz Mountain. The park receives 300 inches (25 ft; 7.6 m) of snow annually and is home to Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park as well as an extensive system of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. As of 2025, Washington State Parks reported its acreage as 12,444 acres (19.4 mi2; 50.4 km2), making it Washington's largest state park, well ahead of Riverside State Park (9,194 acres (14.4 mi2; 37.2 km2)) which lies 23 miles to the southwest.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Spokane State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Spokane 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 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:50 AM | 53° NE | 8:52 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 125° SE | 3:59 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 23m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:58 PM | 8h 49m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 16m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:27 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:34 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 10m |
| June | 4:08 AM | 4:50 AM | 5:38 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:31 PM | 16h 01m |
| July | 4:26 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 39m |
| August | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 19m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:19 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:12 PM | 4:46 PM | 9h 17m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:03 PM | 3:57 PM | 4:33 PM | 8h 25m |
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 Spokane 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 3 (rural sky), 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 | 3:24 AM – 3:54 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:26 AM – 2:36 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:05 AM – 1:25 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:31 PM – 12:31 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:09 PM – 10:29 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.26 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 30% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). July 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 | 53 | 56 | 69 | 82 | 90 | 102 | 100 | 101 | 96 | 84 | 64 | 52 |
| Low °F | -19 | -12 | -7 | 23 | 26 | 35 | 42 | 43 | 29 | 11 | -2 | -13 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 |
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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Spokane State Park, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Mountain PeakMountain Peak
State Park
WaterfallWaterfall
LakeWaterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Spokane State Park?
What time is golden hour at Mount Spokane State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Spokane State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Spokane State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Spokane State Park?
How far is Mount Spokane State Park from Spirit Lake?
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.