Smith River Falls — a waterfall in Douglas County, Oregon at about 52 m (171 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Reedsport, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Smith River Falls lies ENE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Smith River 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 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 56° NE | 9:02 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 123° ESE | 4:41 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 55m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 26m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:12 PM | 8h 56m |
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 Smith River Falls, 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:03 AM – 4:43 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:07 AM – 3:37 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:22 PM – 3:02 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:09 PM – 1:49 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 11:42 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:45 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.75 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 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). August 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 | 70 | 75 | 85 | 92 | 98 | 101 | 104 | 98 | 90 | 74 | 61 |
| Low °F | 18 | 20 | 25 | 26 | 32 | 40 | 43 | 46 | 39 | 26 | 22 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.3 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 3.8 | 7.4 | 9.3 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Smith River Falls, closest first.
Wilderness Area
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
State Park
Waterfall
Waterfall
Lake
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Loon Lake Recreation Site21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- East Shore Campground Or22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Clay Creek Recreation Site24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Whittaker Creek Recreation Site25 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Archie Knowles Campground26 km (16 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Smith River Falls?
What time is golden hour at Smith River Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Smith River Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Smith River Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Smith River Falls?
How far is Smith River Falls from Reedsport?
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.