Located in King County, Washington, Snoqualmie Falls is a waterfall at about 55 m (180 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 1.7 km (1.1 mi) NNW of Snoqualmie. Its recorded drop is about 82 m (269 ft). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268-foot (82 m) waterfall in the northwest United States, located east of Seattle on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions and is known internationally for its appearance in the television series Twin Peaks. More than 1.5 million visitors come to the Falls every year, where there is a two-acre (0.8 ha) park, an observation deck, luxury lodge, spa, restaurant, and a gift shop. Most of the river is diverted into power plants, but at times the river is high enough to flow across the entire precipice, which creates an almost blinding spray. High water occurs following a period of heavy rains or snow followed by warm rainy weather. This can occur during the rainy season which lasts from November through March. During high water, the falls take on a curtain form.From the Wikipedia article “Snoqualmie Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Snoqualmie Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 53° NE | 9:09 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 125° SE | 4:19 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 26m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:18 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 07m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:58 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 57m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 36m |
| August | 5:30 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 17m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 19m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:53 PM | 8h 28m |
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 Snoqualmie Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| 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 | — | 10° | — |
| April | 3:41 AM – 4:21 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:40 AM – 3:00 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:11 AM – 2:01 AM | 1.8 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:42 PM – 1:02 AM | 1.3 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:24 PM – 10:54 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.27 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 36% average cloud cover) and January 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 | 53 | 49 | 59 | 71 | 78 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 89 | 72 | 57 | 46 |
| Low °F | -16 | -11 | -4 | 6 | 20 | 28 | 36 | 35 | 27 | 5 | -10 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.9 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 10.3 | 9.6 |
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.
- 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 Snoqualmie Falls, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Lake
Lake
Lake
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Snoqualmie Falls?
What time is golden hour at Snoqualmie Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Snoqualmie Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Snoqualmie Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Snoqualmie Falls?
How far is Snoqualmie Falls from Snoqualmie?
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.