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43.9529° N121.7817° W1,584 mBortle 2Los Angeles

Red Crater Photography Guide

Volcano in Deschutes County, Oregon · 1,584 m (5,197 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Red Crater — a volcano in Deschutes County, Oregon at about 1,584 m (5,197 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Sunriver, about 28 km (18 mi) away (Red Crater lies WNW of town).

Elevation
1,584 m
5,197 ft
Nearest town
Sunriver
28 km (18 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
July
23% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:46 PM
sunset 6:25 PM

Light at Red Crater

Live
Sunrise
7:29 AM
Sunset
6:17 PM
Golden hour AM
7:11 AM – 8:08 AM
Golden hour PM
5:37 PM – 6:35 PM
Blue hour AM
6:59 AM – 7:11 AM
Blue hour PM
6:35 PM – 6:46 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:54 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:45 PM / 1:20 AM
Day length
10h 48m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Red Crater the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:11 AM90° E7:20 PM271° W46°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:25 AM56° NE8:54 PM305° NW69°15h 29m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:55 AM89° E7:06 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:39 AM123° ESE4:33 PM238° WSW23°8h 53m

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

Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:07 AM7:39 AM8:24 AM4:10 PM4:55 PM5:27 PM9h 16m
February6:38 AM7:07 AM7:48 AM4:57 PM5:37 PM6:07 PM10h 30m
March6:51 AM7:20 AM7:58 AM6:35 PM7:14 PM7:42 PM11h 53m
April5:54 AM6:24 AM7:03 AM7:12 PM7:51 PM8:21 PM13h 26m
May5:09 AM5:42 AM6:24 AM7:45 PM8:27 PM9:00 PM14h 45m
June4:48 AM5:25 AM6:09 AM8:08 PM8:52 PM9:28 PM15h 28m
July5:04 AM5:39 AM6:22 AM8:05 PM8:48 PM9:23 PM15h 09m
August5:41 AM6:12 AM6:52 AM7:33 PM8:13 PM8:44 PM14h 01m
September6:18 AM6:47 AM7:25 AM6:41 PM7:19 PM7:48 PM12h 32m
October6:53 AM7:22 AM8:01 AM5:46 PM6:25 PM6:54 PM11h 03m
November6:32 AM7:03 AM7:46 AM3:59 PM4:42 PM5:14 PM9h 39m
December7:03 AM7:36 AM8:23 AM3:43 PM4:31 PM5:04 PM8h 55m

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 Red Crater, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March5:00 AM – 5:40 AM0.714°SSE → SSE
April2:56 AM – 4:36 AM1.717°SSE → S
May1:01 AM – 3:31 AM2.517°SSE → S
June11:17 PM – 2:57 AM3.717°SSE → SSW
July11:03 PM – 1:33 AM2.517°S → SSW
August10:05 PM – 11:35 PM1.516°S → SSW
September8:58 PM – 9:28 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 23% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F5961727989951029795877155
Low °F-16-58182226333428160-12
Precip. (in)2.52.32.01.61.41.00.40.40.71.32.43.6

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 volcano

  • Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
  • Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
  • Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
  • Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Red Crater, closest first.

Lava LakeLake
Lava Lake3.7 km away · Deschutes County · 1,446 m
Sparks LakeLake
Sparks Lake7.6 km away · Deschutes County · 1,656 m
Mount BachelorMountain Peak
Mount Bachelor8.0 km away · Deschutes County · 2,759 m
Mink LakeLake
Mink Lake12 km away · Lane County · 1,536 m
Volcano
Le Conte Crater12 km away · Deschutes County
Tumalo MountainMountain Peak
Tumalo Mountain13 km away · Deschutes County · 2,370 m
Volcano
Cayuse Crater14 km away · Deschutes County
Cultus LakeLake
Cultus Lake14 km away · Deschutes County · 1,424 m
Rock Formation
Lolah Butte15 km away · Deschutes County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Red Crater?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
What time is golden hour at Red Crater?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:46 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:25 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:01 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Crater?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Crater?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Crater?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Red Crater from Sunriver?
About 28 km (18 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.