Sydney Falls — a waterfall in Pierce County, Washington — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Mount Rainier National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Crocker, about 49 km (31 mi) away (Sydney Falls lies ESE of town). Its recorded drop is about 61 m (200 ft).
Sydney Falls, more commonly called Kotsuck Creek Falls or Kotsuck Falls, is a waterfall in the Mount Rainier National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. The falls is formed as Kotsuck Creek, a tributary of the Cowlitz River, thunders 200 feet (61 m) into a steep and rugged canyon in a plume 75 feet (23 m) wide. The falls start with a small tier of 30 feet (9.1 m), then splits into three streams and plunges over a sheer cliff face, joining at the bottom. The name of the falls comes from a 1912 article that mentions that "Sydney Falls is along the Wonderland Trail". The name "Kotsuck" comes from a Chinook Indian word meaning "middle". However, the name "Kotsuck Creek Falls" may be inaccurate, as the names of Kotsuck Creek and Chinook Creek may have been switched at some time in the past.From the Wikipedia article “Sydney Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sydney Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 54° NE | 9:05 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 125° SE | 4:21 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 32m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:19 PM | 8h 57m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 20m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 03m |
| June | 4:33 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 51m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 30m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 14m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 23m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:54 PM | 8h 33m |
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 Sydney Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.3 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 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 | 5:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:26 AM – 4:16 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:32 AM – 3:02 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:54 PM – 2:14 AM | 2.3 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:31 PM – 1:11 AM | 1.7 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:19 PM – 11:09 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:04 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Sydney Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Pass
Fire Lookout
Lake
Natural Arch
Glacier
Mountain PassWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- White River Campground9.3 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
- Ohanapecosh Campground12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Ohanapecosh Group Campground12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Lodgepole Campground (Washington)15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Silver Springs Campground17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sydney Falls?
What time is golden hour at Sydney Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sydney Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sydney Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sydney Falls?
How far is Sydney Falls from Crocker?
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.