Linton Falls — a waterfall in Lane County, Oregon at about 1,315 m (4,314 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Three Sisters Wilderness. It sits roughly 31 km (19 mi) WSW of Sisters.
Linton Falls, is a multi-step waterfall of 8 tiers located in the heart of the Three Sisters Wilderness, just east of the North Sister volcano on Oregon Route 242 in Lane County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It totals 615 feet fall in eight drops, the tallest and last drop is 85 feet. The waters of Linton Falls drain into the Linton Lake along the McKenzie Pass corridor and one of the main destinations along the Proxy Falls trailhead. Several unnamed waterfalls continue upstream until reaching Duncan Falls, approximately 1 mile from the Upper Linton tier. Linton Falls has high sinuosity, frequent terraces, sloping terrains and is surrounded by thick forests, all of which makes it impossible to see in its entirety from a single view point. Past the Lower Linton Falls, the trek upstream is unmarked and mostly inaccessible.From the Wikipedia article “Linton Falls (Oregon)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Linton Falls 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 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 56° NE | 8:55 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 123° ESE | 4:32 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 52m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:48 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 5:04 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:48 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 54m |
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 Linton Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:01 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:58 AM – 4:28 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:04 AM – 3:34 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:21 PM – 2:51 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:06 PM – 1:36 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 11:37 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:29 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.74 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 24% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 65 | 65 | 77 | 84 | 94 | 100 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 88 | 72 | 58 |
| Low °F | -8 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 26 | 33 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 17 | 3 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.8 |
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
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Linton Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Rock Formation
GlacierWaterfall
VolcanoVolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Alder Springs2.8 km (1.7 mi) · reservable
- Alder Springs Campground2.9 km (1.8 mi)
- Scott Lake5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Limberlost Campground13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Olallie On Mckenzie Highway - Willamette (Or)16.2 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Linton Falls?
What time is golden hour at Linton Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Linton Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Linton Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Linton Falls?
How far is Linton Falls from Sisters?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. 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.