Curly Creek Falls — a waterfall in Skamania County, Washington at about 371 m (1,217 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Carson, about 39 km (24 mi) away (Curly Creek Falls lies NNW of town).
Curly Creek Falls, also called Curly/Miller Falls is a 86-foot (26 m) waterfall that flows from Curly Creek just west of the Swift Reservoir, approximately 1150 feet above sea level, located in the U.S. state of Washington. Shortly downstream Curly Creek empties into Lewis River. While flow may run dry in the late season, Curly Creek Falls is unique in having two natural basalt arches apparent at the top of the waterfall. Curly Creek Falls is located north of Interstate 84 in the heart of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. A hiking trail leads from a parking area to the falls. The area around the waterfall is surrounded by moss-covered rocks and a forest of old-growth Douglas fir and hemlock.From the Wikipedia article “Curly Creek Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Curly 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° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:18 AM | 54° NE | 9:03 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° SE | 4:26 PM | 236° SW | 21° | 8h 38m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:01 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 58m |
| June | 4:38 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:03 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 44m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 24m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 28m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:58 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Curly 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:25 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:18 AM – 3:18 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:44 PM – 2:34 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:24 PM – 1:14 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:14 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 ≈ 21.47 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 29% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 55 | 54 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 92 | 81 | 59 | 47 |
| Low °F | -12 | -9 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 37 | 27 | 14 | -11 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 6.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Curly Creek Falls, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
WaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Paradise Creek Campground12.3 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Lower Falls Campground13.1 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Cultus Creek Cg (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf16.8 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Lewis River Hc (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf17.0 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Marble Mountain Group Picnic Site17.3 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Curly Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Curly Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Curly Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Curly Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Curly Creek Falls?
How far is Curly 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.