Spring Creek Hatchery State Park — a state park in Skamania County, Washington — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Hood River, about 3.0 km (1.9 mi) away (Spring Creek Hatchery State Park lies NNW of town).
Spring Creek Hatchery State Park is a public recreation area lying within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area on Route 14 in Skamania County, Washington. The state park occupies 10 acres (4 hectares) directly across the Columbia River from Hood River, Oregon. It offers excellent windsurfing and kiteboarding opportunities, as well as picknicking, fishing, and wildlife viewing. The park lies next to the Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery, which offers interpretive programs and self-guided tours. The 5-acre (2-hectare) windsurfing area is sometimes known as "The Hatchery" or "The Hatch". The rough water is considered expert-level.From the Wikipedia article “Spring Creek Hatchery State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Spring Creek Hatchery 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° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 54° NE | 9:00 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 124° SE | 4:25 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 05m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:01 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 4:39 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:03 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:58 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Spring Creek Hatchery State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:12 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:12 AM – 4:22 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:13 AM – 3:13 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:38 PM – 2:28 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:19 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 11:13 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 9:11 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.09 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 61 | 60 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 93 | 99 | 96 | 96 | 83 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 32 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
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 Spring Creek Hatchery State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Moss Creek Campground10.8 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Oklahoma Campground17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Wyeth Campground18.3 km (11.4 mi) · reservable
- Wahtum Lake Campground26 km (16 mi)
- Atkisson Group Camp27 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Spring Creek Hatchery State Park?
What time is golden hour at Spring Creek Hatchery State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Spring Creek Hatchery State Park?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Spring Creek Hatchery State Park?
How far is Spring Creek Hatchery State Park from Hood River?
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.