Located in Whatcom County, Washington, Upper Baker Lake Viewpoint is a scenic viewpoint at about 318 m (1,043 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Sedro-Woolley, about 44 km (27 mi) away (Upper Baker Lake Viewpoint lies ENE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper Baker Lake 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 308° (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) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 52° NE | 9:14 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 126° SE | 4:14 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 16m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:46 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:14 PM | 8h 44m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:28 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 41m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 15m |
| June | 4:22 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:54 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:54 PM | 16h 07m |
| July | 4:41 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 45m |
| August | 5:26 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 22m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 12m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:17 PM | 4:12 PM | 4:49 PM | 8h 18m |
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 Upper Baker Lake 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 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 | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:57 AM – 4:07 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:54 AM – 2:44 AM | 0.8 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:55 PM – 2:35 AM | 2.7 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:03 AM – 12:43 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:33 PM – 10:33 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.63 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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Upper Baker Lake Viewpoint, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
Hot Spring
WaterfallWaterfall
Fire Lookout
GlacierCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Horseshoe Cove Campground2.4 km (1.5 mi) · reservable
- Bayview Campground (Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Wa)2.7 km (1.7 mi) · reservable
- Boulder Creek Campground7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Panorama Point Campground8.1 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- Swift Creek Campground8.9 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Baker Lake Viewpoint?
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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.