Sacajawea State Park — a state park in Franklin County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Burbank, about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) away (Sacajawea State Park lies W of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sacajawea State Park is a public recreation area and historical preserve in the city of Pasco, Washington, covering 267 acres (108 ha) at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers where the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped on October 16, 1805. The state park bears the name of the Shoshone woman Sacagawea, who was an active member of the expedition married to expedition member Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian interpreter and explorer. The park's Sacajawea Interpretive Center features exhibits about her and about the Lewis and Clark Expedition.From the Wikipedia article “Sacajawea State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sacajawea State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 54° NE | 8:52 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 124° SE | 4:13 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 37m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 58m |
| June | 4:26 AM | 5:05 AM | 5:51 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 45m |
| July | 4:43 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:05 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 25m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:23 AM | 3:21 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:46 PM | 8h 38m |
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 Sacajawea State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:12 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:14 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:08 AM – 2:58 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:35 PM – 2:15 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:15 PM – 1:05 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:06 PM – 10:56 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 9:03 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.06 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 26% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (79%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 64 | 64 | 76 | 89 | 99 | 108 | 110 | 109 | 102 | 87 | 70 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | 7 | 12 | 27 | 33 | 42 | 49 | 48 | 34 | 19 | 15 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Sacajawea State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Rock Formation
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hood Park2.6 km (1.6 mi) · reservable
- Charbonneau Park And Campground16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Fishhook Park25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sacajawea State Park?
What time is golden hour at Sacajawea State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sacajawea State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sacajawea State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sacajawea State Park?
How far is Sacajawea State Park from Burbank?
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.