Blum Basin Falls is a waterfall in Skagit County, Washington. It lies in or next to North Cascades National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Peaceful Valley, about 52 km (33 mi) away (Blum Basin Falls lies ESE of town).
Blum Basin Falls is a waterfall in Whatcom County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in North Cascades National Park on the headwaters of Blum Creek, a tributary of the Baker River. Fed by two small retreating glaciers and several snowfields on the southern side of Mount Blum, the waterfall is formed by the largest meltwater stream that feeds the mainstem of Blum Creek. The falls tumble 1,680 feet (510 m) down a high glacial headwall several miles within the national park in two distinct stages; the first is a series of slides over rounded rock, above the tree line, and the second is a series of near-vertical plunges to the forested valley below. Although most of the falls is clearly visible, parts of it are obscured by tall pines that grow at its base. There is no trail leading to the waterfall.From the Wikipedia article “Blum Basin Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Blum Basin Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:04 AM | 52° NE | 9:13 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 126° SE | 4:13 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 16m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:46 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 43m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:27 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 4:48 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 15m |
| June | 4:21 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:53 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:54 PM | 16h 08m |
| July | 4:40 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 46m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 23m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:50 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 12m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:16 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:48 PM | 8h 18m |
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 Blum Basin Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° 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 | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:56 AM – 4:06 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:53 AM – 2:43 AM | 0.8 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:54 PM – 2:34 AM | 2.7 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:02 AM – 12:42 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:32 PM – 10:32 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.71 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 47 | 50 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 87 | 90 | 90 | 86 | 76 | 55 | 41 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -12 | 1 | 16 | 28 | 34 | 35 | 24 | -2 | -17 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 10.7 | 9.1 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Blum Basin Falls, closest first.
Mountain Peak
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Mountain Peak
LakeWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Shannon Creek Campground7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Swift Creek Campground11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Park Creek Campground12.1 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Panorama Point Campground12.5 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Boulder Creek Campground14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blum Basin Falls?
What time is golden hour at Blum Basin Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Blum Basin Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Blum Basin Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Blum Basin Falls?
How far is Blum Basin Falls from Peaceful Valley?
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.