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Volcanoes in Washington

8 volcanoes in Washington with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Skamania County has the most (3). The darkest skies are at Sherman Crater (Bortle 3).

Top volcanoes

White Chuck Cinder ConeVolcano
White Chuck Cinder ConeSnohomish County
Volcano
1980 CraterSkamania County
Volcano
East CraterPierce County
Volcano
East CraterSkamania County
Volcano
Sherman CraterWhatcom County
Volcano
Summit CraterWhatcom County
Volcano
West CraterPierce County
Volcano
West CraterSkamania County

Volcanoes by county

Map

How to photograph volcanoes

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

  • Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
  • 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.

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