1. Home
  2. Waterfalls
  3. Washington
  4. Lewis County
  5. Cowlitz Falls
46.4659° N122.1073° W266 mBortle 3Los Angeles

Cowlitz Falls Photography Guide

Waterfall in Lewis County, Washington · 266 m (873 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–307°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug

Cowlitz Falls is a waterfall in Lewis County, Washington at about 266 m (873 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 16.5 km (10.3 mi) SE of Morton.

Elevation
266 m
873 ft
Nearest town
Morton
16.5 km (10.3 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:42 PM
sunset 6:23 PM

Light at Cowlitz Falls

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:14 PM
Golden hour AM
7:15 AM – 8:15 AM
Golden hour PM
5:33 PM – 6:33 PM
Blue hour AM
7:03 AM – 7:15 AM
Blue hour PM
6:33 PM – 6:45 PM
Full darkness
7:55 PM – 5:54 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:52 PM / 1:15 AM
Day length
10h 41m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Cowlitz 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 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:12 AM89° E7:21 PM271° W43°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:16 AM54° NE9:06 PM307° NW67°15h 49m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:56 AM89° E7:08 PM271° W44°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:50 AM124° SE4:25 PM236° SW20°8h 35m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:15 AM7:49 AM8:37 AM4:00 PM4:48 PM5:22 PM9h 00m
February6:42 AM7:13 AM7:56 AM4:51 PM5:34 PM6:05 PM10h 21m
March6:52 AM7:22 AM8:02 AM6:34 PM7:14 PM7:44 PM11h 52m
April5:50 AM6:22 AM7:03 AM7:16 PM7:56 PM8:28 PM13h 34m
May5:00 AM5:36 AM6:19 AM7:52 PM8:36 PM9:11 PM15h 00m
June4:37 AM5:16 AM6:03 AM8:17 PM9:04 PM9:43 PM15h 48m
July4:54 AM5:31 AM6:17 AM8:13 PM8:59 PM9:36 PM15h 27m
August5:35 AM6:08 AM6:50 AM7:38 PM8:20 PM8:53 PM14h 12m
September6:17 AM6:47 AM7:27 AM6:42 PM7:22 PM7:52 PM12h 35m
October6:56 AM7:26 AM8:08 AM5:42 PM6:23 PM6:54 PM10h 57m
November6:38 AM7:11 AM7:57 AM3:51 PM4:37 PM5:10 PM9h 26m
December7:11 AM7:46 AM8:37 AM3:32 PM4:23 PM4:58 PM8h 36m

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 Cowlitz Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-5°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
March5:25 AM – 5:35 AM0.211°SSE → SSE
April3:27 AM – 4:27 AM1.014°SSE → S
May1:22 AM – 3:12 AM1.815°SSE → S
June11:52 PM – 2:22 AM2.515°SSE → SSW
July11:30 PM – 1:10 AM1.715°S → SSW
August10:19 PM – 11:09 PM0.813°SSW → SSW
September9:05 PM – 9:05 PM0.011°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.49 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 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6059708490951019895836557
Low °F45162229374142302263
Precip. (in)9.66.87.55.43.72.60.71.23.06.610.19.8

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Cowlitz Falls, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Ryan Lake Picnic Area and Viewpoint13 km away · Skamania County · 1,026 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Bear Meadow Viewpoint18 km away · Skamania County · 1,253 m
Layser CaveCave
Layser Cave19 km away · Lewis County
Scenic Viewpoint
Fringe Viewpoint19 km away · Skamania County · 1,151 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Mount Saint Helens Viewpoint20 km away · Skamania County · 1,123 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Independence Pass Viewpoint20 km away · Skamania County · 1,283 m
Harmony FallsWaterfall
Harmony Falls21 km away · Skamania County · 1,173 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Hopkins Hill Viewpoint21 km away · Lewis County · 643 m
Coldwater LakeLake
Coldwater Lake21 km away · Skamania County · 760 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Cowlitz Falls?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
What time is golden hour at Cowlitz Falls?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:42 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:23 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:08 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Cowlitz Falls?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 54° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 307° to 236°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Cowlitz Falls?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cowlitz Falls?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Cowlitz Falls from Morton?
About 16.5 km (10.3 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.