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43.4413° N111.3772° W1,605 mBortle 2Boise

Fall Creek Falls Photography Guide

Waterfall in Bonneville County, Idaho · 1,605 m (5,266 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–304°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Located in Bonneville County, Idaho, Fall Creek Falls is a waterfall at about 1,605 m (5,266 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Victor, about 28 km (17 mi) away (Fall Creek Falls lies SW of town).

Elevation
1,605 m
5,266 ft
Nearest town
Victor
28 km (17 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
July
34% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:05 PM
sunset 6:44 PM

Light at Fall Creek Falls

Live
Sunrise
7:46 AM
Sunset
6:36 PM
Golden hour AM
7:28 AM – 8:26 AM
Golden hour PM
5:56 PM – 6:54 PM
Blue hour AM
7:17 AM – 7:28 AM
Blue hour PM
6:54 PM – 7:05 PM
Full darkness
8:11 PM – 6:12 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
4:01 PM / 1:38 AM
Day length
10h 49m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Boise. 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 Fall Creek Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:30 AM90° E7:38 PM271° W46°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:46 AM56° NE9:11 PM304° NW70°15h 25m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:13 AM89° E7:25 PM271° W47°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:56 AM122° ESE4:53 PM238° WSW23°8h 57m

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

Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:24 AM7:56 AM8:41 AM4:30 PM5:15 PM5:47 PM9h 19m
February6:55 AM7:25 AM8:05 AM5:16 PM5:56 PM6:26 PM10h 32m
March7:10 AM7:39 AM8:16 AM6:54 PM7:32 PM8:00 PM11h 53m
April6:14 AM6:44 AM7:22 AM7:30 PM8:09 PM8:38 PM13h 25m
May5:29 AM6:02 AM6:43 AM8:02 PM8:44 PM9:17 PM14h 42m
June5:09 AM5:45 AM6:29 AM8:25 PM9:09 PM9:44 PM15h 24m
July5:25 AM5:59 AM6:42 AM8:23 PM9:05 PM9:39 PM15h 06m
August6:00 AM6:31 AM7:11 AM7:51 PM8:30 PM9:01 PM13h 59m
September6:37 AM7:06 AM7:43 AM7:00 PM7:38 PM8:06 PM12h 32m
October7:11 AM7:40 AM8:19 AM6:05 PM6:44 PM7:13 PM11h 04m
November6:49 AM7:20 AM8:03 AM4:19 PM5:02 PM5:33 PM9h 42m
December7:20 AM7:52 AM8:39 AM4:04 PM4:51 PM5:24 PM8h 59m

Local time (America/Boise), 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 Fall Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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°—
March5:18 AM – 5:58 AM0.714°SSE → SSE
April3:13 AM – 4:53 AM1.717°SSE → S
May1:17 AM – 3:57 AM2.718°SSE → S
June11:31 PM – 3:21 AM3.818°SSE → SSW
July11:18 PM – 1:58 AM2.718°S → SSW
August10:21 PM – 12:01 AM1.717°S → SSW
September9:16 PM – 9:56 PM0.714°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 ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 (75%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F343462748388959586776243
Low °F-25-27-20-511233532223-20-25
Precip. (in)2.82.52.42.52.41.91.01.21.82.02.52.9

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 waterfall

  • A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
  • Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
  • Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
  • A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.

Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Fall Creek Falls?
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. Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
What time is golden hour at Fall Creek Falls?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:05 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:44 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:19 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Fall Creek Falls?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 122° in December; sunset ranges from 304° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Fall Creek Falls?
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 Fall Creek Falls?
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 Fall Creek Falls from Victor?
About 28 km (17 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.