Taylor Gorge Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Josephine County, Oregon at about 402 m (1,319 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Merlin, about 14.1 km (8.8 mi) away (Taylor Gorge Overlook lies W of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Taylor Gorge Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 57° ENE | 8:56 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:42 AM | 122° ESE | 4:45 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 17m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 05m |
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 Taylor Gorge Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:55 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:48 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:58 AM – 3:48 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:09 PM – 3:19 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 11:55 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 9:51 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.73 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 20% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (74%). August 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 | 66 | 66 | 74 | 82 | 89 | 101 | 104 | 106 | 103 | 93 | 79 | 58 |
| Low °F | 7 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 30 | 37 | 43 | 45 | 36 | 27 | 20 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.9 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 7.7 | 10.9 |
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
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Taylor Gorge Overlook, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Covered Bridge
Scenic ViewpointWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Taylor Gorge Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Taylor Gorge Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Taylor Gorge Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Taylor Gorge Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Taylor Gorge Overlook?
How far is Taylor Gorge Overlook from Merlin?
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.