Wy'east Falls — a waterfall in Multnomah County, Oregon — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.8 km (5.5 mi) SSE of Cascade Locks.
Wy'east Falls (also Wyeast Falls or Wy East Falls) is a waterfall on a small tributary of Eagle Creek in Hood River County, Oregon, U.S. The waterfall is formed by Wy'East Creek, a spring-fed stream that plunges 140 feet (43 m) over the Eagle Creek basalt formation. The creek cuts through a narrow and steep ravine and spills off a basalt ledge, plunging in a thin sheet about 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, into a shallow, gravelly pool. The creek then flows for about 300 feet (91 m) before emptying into Eagle Creek shortly downstream of Tunnel Falls.From the Wikipedia article “Wy'east Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wy'east Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (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 | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 55° NE | 9:01 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 124° SE | 4:27 PM | 237° 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 | 7:45 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:03 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 40m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:59 PM | 8h 43m |
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 Wy'east Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | 5:12 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:12 AM – 4:22 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:12 AM – 3:22 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:35 PM – 2:35 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:18 PM – 1:18 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 11:23 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 9:22 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.3 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
- 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 Wy'east Falls, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
State Park
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Wahtum Lake Campground5.9 km (3.6 mi)
- Eagle Creek Campground7.3 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Eagle Creek Overlook Grp Site7.5 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Lost Lake Resort And Campground12.0 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Wyeth Campground13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wy'east Falls?
What time is golden hour at Wy'east Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wy'east Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wy'east Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wy'east Falls?
How far is Wy'east Falls from Cascade Locks?
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.