Nooksack Falls Viewpoint — a scenic viewpoint in Whatcom County, Washington at about 443 m (1,453 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 25 km (15 mi) E of Peaceful Valley.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Nooksack Falls 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) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:04 AM | 52° NE | 9:15 PM | 309° NW | 65° | 16h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:59 AM | 126° SE | 4:13 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 14m |
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 | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:14 PM | 8h 42m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:28 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 12m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 4:48 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 17m |
| June | 4:21 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:54 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:56 PM | 16h 10m |
| July | 4:40 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 47m |
| August | 5:26 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 24m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 11m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:50 AM | 3:16 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:49 PM | 8h 16m |
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 Nooksack Falls Viewpoint, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| April | 3:58 AM – 4:08 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:07 AM – 2:47 AM | 0.7 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:57 PM – 2:27 AM | 2.5 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:08 AM – 12:38 AM | 0.5 | 11° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:35 PM – 10:35 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: 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 ≈ 21.69 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 42% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 47 | 50 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 87 | 90 | 90 | 86 | 76 | 55 | 41 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -12 | 1 | 16 | 28 | 34 | 35 | 24 | -2 | -17 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 10.7 | 9.1 |
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
- 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.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- 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 Nooksack Falls Viewpoint, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
Glacier
Wilderness Area
Lake
GlacierCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Excelsior Group Camp981 m · reservable
- Douglas Fir Campground7.5 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Silver Fir Campground8.3 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Park Creek Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Swift Creek Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Nooksack Falls Viewpoint?
What time is golden hour at Nooksack Falls Viewpoint?
Where does the sun rise and set at Nooksack Falls Viewpoint?
Can you see the Milky Way from Nooksack Falls Viewpoint?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Nooksack Falls Viewpoint?
How far is Nooksack Falls Viewpoint from Peaceful Valley?
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.