Located in Whatcom County, Washington, Colonial Creek Falls is a waterfall. It lies in or next to North Cascades National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Darrington, about 57 km (36 mi) away (Colonial Creek Falls lies NE of town). Its recorded drop is about 788 m (2585 ft).
Colonial Creek Falls is the tallest waterfall in the continental United States. In a horizontal traverse of more than 4,200 feet (1,300 m), it falls 2,568 feet (783 m) vertically in 13 distinct drops, with an average incline of 65 degrees. According to the World Waterfall Database, it is the tallest waterfall in the continental United States, and is the 15th tallest in the world, exceeding the more renowned Yosemite Falls in height by 143 feet.From the Wikipedia article “Colonial Creek Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Colonial Creek 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) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:03 AM | 52° NE | 9:12 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 126° SE | 4:12 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 | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:44 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:12 PM | 8h 44m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 41m |
| May | 4:46 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 15m |
| June | 4:20 AM | 5:02 AM | 5:52 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:52 PM | 16h 07m |
| July | 4:38 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 45m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 23m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:03 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 12m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:46 AM | 3:15 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:47 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 Colonial Creek 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 | 3:55 AM – 4:05 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:52 AM – 2:42 AM | 0.8 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:53 PM – 2:33 AM | 2.7 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:01 AM – 12:41 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:31 PM – 10:31 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 ≈ 21.76 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Colonial Creek Falls, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Glacier
Mountain Peak
Lake
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointWaterfall
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Colonial Creek North Campground3.7 km (2.3 mi) · reservable
- Colonial Creek South Campground3.9 km (2.4 mi) · reservable
- Gorge Lake Campground5.1 km (3.2 mi) · reservable
- Newhalem Creek Campground8.9 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Lower Goodell Group Campground9.2 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Colonial Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Colonial Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Colonial Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Colonial Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Colonial Creek Falls?
How far is Colonial Creek Falls from Darrington?
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.