Madison Creek Falls — a waterfall in Clallam County, Washington — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 14.5 km (9.0 mi) SW of Port Angeles.
Madison Creek Falls is located within the Olympic National Park near the Elwha River, west of Port Angeles, Washington. The falls is about 50 feet high and has a light flow in a horsetail shape. Another higher falls is located above the first, but is completely inaccessible. The paved trail to the falls is very short (less than 100 meters) and is wheelchair accessible.From the Wikipedia article “Madison Creek Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Madison Creek Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 53° NE | 9:18 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:02 AM | 126° SE | 4:24 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 22m |
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 | 7:25 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:51 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 8h 49m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:34 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:17 PM | 9:58 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:50 PM | 15h 40m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 19m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:29 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:22 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:52 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:59 PM | 8h 24m |
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 Madison Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:50 AM – 4:20 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:52 AM – 3:02 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:31 AM – 1:51 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:57 PM – 12:57 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:35 PM – 10:55 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.44 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 53 | 55 | 65 | 76 | 81 | 85 | 93 | 87 | 82 | 70 | 60 | 56 |
| Low °F | 14 | 19 | 24 | 32 | 36 | 43 | 47 | 47 | 42 | 32 | 15 | 14 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.3 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.1 | 7.7 | 6.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Madison Creek Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Canyon
Lake
Hot Spring
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Lighthouse
Waterfall
GlacierCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Fairholme Campground25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Deer Park Campground27 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Madison Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Madison Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Madison Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Madison Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Madison Creek Falls?
How far is Madison Creek Falls from Port Angeles?
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.