Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint is a scenic viewpoint in Pend Oreille County, Washington at about 629 m (2,064 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 45 km (28 mi) NE of Colville.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 309° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:47 AM | 52° NE | 8:57 PM | 309° NW | 65° | 16h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 126° SE | 3:56 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 15m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 43m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 12m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 4:31 AM | 5:09 AM | 5:55 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 16m |
| June | 4:04 AM | 4:47 AM | 5:37 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:38 PM | 16h 09m |
| July | 4:23 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:51 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 46m |
| August | 5:09 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 23m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:18 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:49 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:45 PM | 9h 12m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:32 AM | 2:59 PM | 3:54 PM | 4:31 PM | 8h 17m |
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 Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:40 AM – 3:50 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:37 AM – 2:27 AM | 0.8 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:38 PM – 2:18 AM | 2.7 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:46 PM – 12:26 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 10:16 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 37 | 49 | 63 | 75 | 87 | 98 | 101 | 103 | 94 | 82 | 57 | 41 |
| Low °F | -30 | -23 | -15 | 15 | 25 | 31 | 39 | 39 | 26 | 9 | -23 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
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 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.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint, closest first.
Mountain Peak
National Forest
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
State Park
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Edgewater Campground2.7 km (1.7 mi) · reservable
- Noisy Creek9.6 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- West Sullivan12.7 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- East Sullivan13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Gillette Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint?
What time is golden hour at Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint?
Where does the sun rise and set at Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint?
Can you see the Milky Way from Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint?
How far is Box Canyon Dam Viewpoint from Colville?
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.