Westport Light State Park — a state park in Grays Harbor County, Washington — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.5 km (0.9 mi) WNW of Westport.
Westport Light State Park is a public recreation area of 560 acres (230 ha) on the Pacific Ocean in Grays Harbor County, Washington. It sits adjacent to the historic Grays Harbor Light, the tallest lighthouse in Washington. The park was combined with the former Westhaven State Park and an additional 270-acre (110 ha) parcel that had been under development as a golf course since 2016. The proposed 18-hole links golf course would be developed by a private company under a long-term lease and concession agreement with the state government. Park activities include hiking, fishing, beachcombing, and birdwatching.From the Wikipedia article “Westport Light State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Westport Light 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 307° (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) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 53° NE | 9:15 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:00 AM | 125° SE | 4:31 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 31m |
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 | 7:58 AM | 8:47 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:29 PM | 8h 57m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 20m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 03m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:53 PM | 15h 51m |
| July | 5:00 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 31m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 14m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:01 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 23m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 33m |
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 Westport Light State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.2 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:37 AM – 4:27 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:45 AM – 3:15 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:09 AM – 2:19 AM | 2.2 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:44 PM – 1:14 AM | 1.5 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:30 PM – 11:10 PM | 0.7 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.49 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 September as the clearest month (about 64% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (86%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 56 | 57 | 60 | 66 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 64 | 61 | 59 |
| Low °F | 30 | 29 | 36 | 39 | 43 | 48 | 53 | 53 | 50 | 41 | 33 | 31 |
| Precip. (in) | 11.0 | 7.1 | 8.4 | 5.6 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 7.2 | 11.7 | 11.3 |
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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Westport Light State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Westport Light State Park?
What time is golden hour at Westport Light State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Westport Light State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Westport Light State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Westport Light State Park?
How far is Westport Light State Park from Westport?
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.