Depot Creek Falls is a waterfall in Whatcom County, Washington at about 1,481 m (4,859 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to North Cascades National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Sudden Valley, about 83 km (51 mi) away (Depot Creek Falls lies ENE of town).
Depot Creek Falls is a 967-foot (295 m)-high waterfall in the North Cascades National Park, Whatcom County, Washington. The falls occur where Depot Creek drops over a headwall. The creek starts off by plunging 200 feet (61 m). After that is a long slide of 767 feet (234 m) to the bottom of the valley. Spray at the falls' base is immense. The average volume of the falls is 300-500 cubic feet per second of water, which flows over a nearly 1,000-foot (300 m) high cliff as a 125-foot (38 m)-wide river. Reaching the falls is challenging. One has to drive up Depot Creek FSR from the Canadian side, which is in poor condition, before hiking about 8 miles (13 km) to the falls. This is one reason the falls are seldom visited.From the Wikipedia article “Depot Creek Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Depot 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 309° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 64° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:02 AM | 52° NE | 9:14 PM | 309° NW | 64° | 16h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 126° SE | 4:11 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 14m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:47 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 8h 42m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 12m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 4:46 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 17m |
| June | 4:19 AM | 5:01 AM | 5:51 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:54 PM | 16h 10m |
| July | 4:37 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 48m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 24m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:00 PM | 9h 10m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:49 AM | 3:14 PM | 4:09 PM | 4:46 PM | 8h 16m |
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 Depot Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| April | 3:56 AM – 4:06 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:05 AM – 2:45 AM | 0.7 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:55 PM – 2:25 AM | 2.5 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:06 AM – 12:36 AM | 0.5 | 11° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:33 PM – 10:33 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 ≈ 21.81 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.
- 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 Depot Creek Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Fire Lookout
Mountain Peak
GlacierMountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Depot Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Depot Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Depot Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Depot Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Depot Creek Falls?
How far is Depot Creek Falls from Sudden Valley?
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.