Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail — a state park in Whitman County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Plummer, about 30 km (18 mi) away (Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail lies WSW of town).
The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, formerly known as the John Wayne Pioneer Trail and the Iron Horse Trail, is a rail trail that spans most of the U.S. state of Washington. It follows the former railway roadbed of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) for 300 miles (480 km) across two-thirds of the state, from the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains to the Idaho border. The former Milwaukee Road roadbed was acquired by the state of Washington via a quitclaim deed, and is used as a non-motorized recreational trail managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. State legislation "railbanked" the corridor with provisions that allow for the reversion to railroad usage in the future.From the Wikipedia article “Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:54 AM | 53° NE | 8:49 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 125° SE | 4:02 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 28m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:21 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:01 PM | 8h 54m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 18m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 37m |
| May | 4:37 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 05m |
| June | 4:13 AM | 4:53 AM | 5:41 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 54m |
| July | 4:31 AM | 5:09 AM | 5:55 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 33m |
| August | 5:13 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 16m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:41 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 21m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:08 PM | 4:00 PM | 4:36 PM | 8h 30m |
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 Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.0 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 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 | 5:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:12 AM – 4:02 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:20 AM – 2:50 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 1:47 AM | 2.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:21 PM – 12:41 AM | 1.3 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 10:45 PM | 0.7 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.63 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 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 Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, closest first.
State Park
Rock Formation
Ghost Town
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Lake
Covered Bridge
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail?
What time is golden hour at Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail?
Where does the sun rise and set at Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail?
Can you see the Milky Way from Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail?
How far is Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail from Plummer?
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.