Peace Arch Park — a state park in Whatcom County, Washington — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.2 km (0.7 mi) NW of Blaine.
Peace Arch Park is an international park consisting of Peace Arch Historical State Park in Washington, United States and Peace Arch Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. The park straddles the international boundary between the two countries at the extreme western end of the main contiguous section of the two countries' land border, between Blaine, Washington, United States, and Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, where it reaches Semiahmoo Bay of the Salish Sea on the continent's Pacific Coast. The park's central feature is the Peace Arch (French: Arche de la Paix). Construction of the 20.5-meter-tall (67 ft) arch was headed by American lawyer Sam Hill and dedicated in September 1921. The Peace Arch commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814 and symbolizes a long history of peace between the two nations. The monument is built on the exact U.S.–Canada boundary,...From the Wikipedia article “Peace Arch Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Peace Arch 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 309° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 64° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:07 AM | 52° NE | 9:20 PM | 309° NW | 64° | 16h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:03 AM | 126° SE | 4:17 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 13m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:53 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:18 PM | 8h 41m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 11m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 43m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 17m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:57 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:18 PM | 10:00 PM | 16h 11m |
| July | 4:43 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:12 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:52 PM | 15h 48m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 24m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 50m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 10m |
| December | 7:22 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:55 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:52 PM | 8h 15m |
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 Peace Arch Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° 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 | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| April | 4:02 AM – 4:12 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:11 AM – 2:51 AM | 0.7 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:01 AM – 2:31 AM | 2.5 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:12 AM – 12:42 AM | 0.5 | 11° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:39 PM – 10:39 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.29 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 50% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 50 | 53 | 63 | 73 | 83 | 99 | 98 | 93 | 88 | 77 | 58 | 49 |
| Low °F | -14 | -11 | -11 | 7 | 25 | 35 | 43 | 40 | 31 | 16 | -10 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 12.9 | 7.5 | 10.7 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 5.3 | 9.6 | 14.6 | 11.8 |
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 Peace Arch Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseLighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Lake
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Peace Arch Park?
What time is golden hour at Peace Arch Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Peace Arch Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Peace Arch Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Peace Arch Park?
How far is Peace Arch Park from Blaine?
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.