Warren Creek Falls is a waterfall in Hood River County, Oregon at about 60 m (197 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 10.2 km (6.3 mi) ESE of Carson.
Warren Creek Falls was a waterfall located in Starvation Creek State Park at the north skirt of the Columbia River Gorge, in Hood River County in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was located in a privileged area along the Historic Columbia River Highway, where several waterfalls are located in Starvation Creek State Park, including Cabin Creek Falls, Lancaster Falls, and Starvation Creek Falls—all within 2 miles (3 km) of each other. It is frequently referred to as the name for Hole-in-the-Wall Falls, a few yards downstream of Warren Creek. The remaining bedrock and its river trail are surrounded by forests in the heart of the Columbia Plateau, off the western skirt of Viento Ridge. When water levels of the diversion tunnel reach over the crest, the overflowing waters run the old natural course of Warren Creek and a stream falls down the old site of the diverted cascade.From the Wikipedia article “Warren Creek Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Warren Creek Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:18 AM | 54° NE | 9:01 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 124° SE | 4:26 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 41m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 05m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 4:39 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:03 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 41m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:58 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Warren Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:13 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:13 AM – 4:23 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:14 AM – 3:14 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 2:29 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:20 PM – 1:20 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:14 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 9:12 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.42 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 61 | 60 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 93 | 99 | 96 | 96 | 83 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 32 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Warren Creek Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
State Park
WaterfallWaterfall
State Park
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Wyeth Campground5.5 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Moss Creek Campground13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Wahtum Lake Campground14.0 km (8.7 mi)
- Eagle Creek Campground18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Eagle Creek Overlook Grp Site18.4 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Warren Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Warren Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Warren Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Warren Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Warren Creek Falls?
How far is Warren Creek Falls from Carson?
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.