Plaikni Falls is a waterfall in Klamath County, Oregon. It lies in or next to Crater Lake National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 78 km (49 mi) NE of Eagle Point.
Plaikni Falls, is a waterfall located along the East Rim Drive within the Crater Lake National Park at the south end of Mount Scott, in Klamath County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The waterfall is located in a glacier carved cliff surrounded by walls of petrified volcanic ash consequence of Mount Mazama eruption. The location of Plaikni Falls wasn't known by many until the park constructed a new trail in 2011, making the Plainki Falls trail one of the most popular destinations along the Crater Lake Rim Drives. Full views of the cascade can be seen at the end of an easy 1-mile walk on a wheel-chair accessible trail. The trail is surrounded by old-growth fir and hemlock forests rich in wildflowers. The name of the waterfall stems from a Native American word that means "from the high country".From the Wikipedia article “Plaikni Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Plaikni Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) 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 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 56° ENE | 8:51 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 122° ESE | 4:37 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 01m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 20m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:20 PM | 15h 02m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 02m |
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 Plaikni Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:53 AM – 4:33 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:55 AM – 3:35 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:08 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:55 PM – 1:45 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 11:41 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 9:47 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 69 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
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
- 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.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Plaikni Falls, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Lake
Volcano
Waterfall
Rock Formation
Fire LookoutWaterfallVolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lost Creek Campground3.4 km (2.1 mi)
- Broken Arrow Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- South Shore Pavilion26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Diamond Lake29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Plaikni Falls?
What time is golden hour at Plaikni Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Plaikni Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Plaikni Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Plaikni Falls?
How far is Plaikni Falls from Eagle Point?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.