Little Klickitat Falls is a waterfall in Klickitat County, Washington. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) N of Dallesport.
Little Klickitat Falls is a 16-foot (4.9 m) waterfall that flows from Little Klickitat River, a tributary of Klickitat River, approximately 1095 feet above sea level, located in the U.S. state of Washington. Shortly downstream Little Klickitat River joins the Blockhouse Creek on the basalt tabletop of Horseshoe Bend canyon. While flow runs dry in the early season, Little Klickitat Falls may reach up to 100 feet wide in the flood seasons. Little Klickitat Falls is located north of Interstate 84 in the heart of steep canyons in central Klickitat County.From the Wikipedia article “Little Klickitat Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Little Klickitat 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° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 54° NE | 8:59 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 124° SE | 4:23 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:36 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:01 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:50 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:31 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:56 PM | 8h 41m |
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 Little Klickitat 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:10 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:10 AM – 4:20 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:11 AM – 3:11 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:36 PM – 2:26 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 1:17 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:11 PM – 11:11 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:09 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 ≈ 21.65 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). July 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 | 61 | 60 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 93 | 99 | 96 | 96 | 83 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 32 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Little Klickitat Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Little Klickitat Falls?
What time is golden hour at Little Klickitat Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Little Klickitat Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Little Klickitat Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Little Klickitat Falls?
How far is Little Klickitat Falls from Dallesport?
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.