Upper Falls — a waterfall in Skamania County, Washington at about 503 m (1,650 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Carson, about 50 km (31 mi) away (Upper Falls lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper 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° (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) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 54° NE | 9:03 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° SE | 4:25 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 37m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 58m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:03 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 45m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 25m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 39m |
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 Upper Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:25 AM – 4:25 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:19 AM – 3:09 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:46 PM – 2:26 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:26 PM – 1:16 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:07 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:14 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.55 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 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Upper Falls, closest first.
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National Forest
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lewis River Hc (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf1.1 km (0.7 mi) · reservable
- Lower Falls Campground2.9 km (1.8 mi) · reservable
- Cultus Creek Cg (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf16.0 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Takhlakh Lake Campground 23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Adams Fork Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Falls?
What time is golden hour at Upper Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Falls?
How far is Upper Falls from Carson?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.