Geneva Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Jefferson County, Oregon at about 813 m (2,667 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 10.6 km (6.6 mi) WSW of Culver.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Geneva Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 55° NE | 8:54 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 123° ESE | 4:29 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:05 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 32m |
| July | 5:00 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:47 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:00 PM | 8h 51m |
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 Geneva Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:59 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:56 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:03 AM – 3:23 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:21 PM – 2:51 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:06 PM – 1:26 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 11:25 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 9:27 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.68 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 24% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 65 | 65 | 77 | 84 | 94 | 100 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 88 | 72 | 58 |
| Low °F | -8 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 26 | 33 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 17 | 3 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.8 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Geneva Overlook, closest first.
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
Lake
State Park
State ParkWaterfall
State Park
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- South Shore Group Sites14.4 km (8.9 mi)
- South Shore Group Campground14.4 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Haystack Campground (East Shore)15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Perry South Campground15.3 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Monty Campground19.7 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Geneva Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Geneva Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Geneva Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Geneva Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Geneva Overlook?
How far is Geneva Overlook from Culver?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.