View to the west from the Coyote Ridge trail in the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, Umatilla National Forest, Oregon, United States.
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45.7167° N118.1490° WBortle 2Los Angeles

North Fork Umatilla Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Umatilla County, Oregon

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–306°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug
Photo: Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

North Fork Umatilla Wilderness is a wilderness area in Umatilla County, Oregon. The nearest town is Elgin, about 25 km (15 mi) away (North Fork Umatilla Wilderness lies NW of town).

The North Fork Umatilla Wilderness is a wilderness area located inside the Umatilla National Forest, in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. It is the smallest wilderness in northeast Oregon, encompassing only 20,144 acres (8,152 ha) in Umatilla and Union counties.From the Wikipedia article “North Fork Umatilla Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Elgin
25 km (15 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
July
25% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:28 PM
sunset 6:08 PM

Light at North Fork Umatilla Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
7:16 AM
Sunset
6:00 PM
Golden hour AM
6:58 AM – 7:58 AM
Golden hour PM
5:18 PM – 6:18 PM
Blue hour AM
6:46 AM – 6:58 AM
Blue hour PM
6:18 PM – 6:30 PM
Full darkness
7:39 PM – 5:39 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:34 PM / 1:01 AM
Day length
10h 43m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At North Fork Umatilla Wilderness 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:56 AM89° E7:05 PM271° W44°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:04 AM54° NE8:47 PM306° NW68°15h 43m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:40 AM89° E6:52 PM271° W45°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:31 AM124° SE4:12 PM236° WSW21°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

Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:57 AM7:30 AM8:18 AM3:48 PM4:35 PM5:08 PM9h 05m
February6:25 AM6:56 AM7:38 AM4:38 PM5:20 PM5:50 PM10h 24m
March6:36 AM7:06 AM7:45 AM6:19 PM6:59 PM7:28 PM11h 53m
April5:36 AM6:07 AM6:47 AM6:59 PM7:39 PM8:10 PM13h 32m
May4:47 AM5:22 AM6:05 AM7:34 PM8:18 PM8:52 PM14h 55m
June4:25 AM5:03 AM5:49 AM7:59 PM8:45 PM9:23 PM15h 41m
July4:42 AM5:18 AM6:03 AM7:55 PM8:40 PM9:17 PM15h 22m
August5:21 AM5:54 AM6:35 AM7:21 PM8:02 PM8:35 PM14h 09m
September6:02 AM6:32 AM7:11 AM6:26 PM7:06 PM7:36 PM12h 34m
October6:40 AM7:10 AM7:50 AM5:28 PM6:08 PM6:38 PM10h 59m
November6:21 AM6:53 AM7:39 AM3:38 PM4:23 PM4:55 PM9h 30m
December6:53 AM7:28 AM8:17 AM3:20 PM4:10 PM4:44 PM8h 42m

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 North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
March4:59 AM – 5:19 AM0.312°SSE → SSE
April2:59 AM – 4:09 AM1.214°SSE → SSE
May1:00 AM – 3:00 AM2.015°SSE → S
June11:25 PM – 2:15 AM2.815°SSE → SSW
July11:06 PM – 1:06 AM2.015°S → SSW
August10:00 PM – 11:00 PM1.014°SSW → SSW
September8:48 PM – 8:58 PM0.211°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.8 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 (76%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6363768492100101103100877258
Low °F-9515222835444331155-8
Precip. (in)2.32.02.32.02.21.70.40.50.71.62.22.8

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 wilderness area

  • Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
  • Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
  • Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
  • Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
  • Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.

Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Permits, drones & access

Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 40 km of North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Umatilla Brakes Viewpoint8.6 km away · Union County · 1,549 m
Umatilla National ForestNational Forest
Umatilla National Forest9.6 km away · Umatilla County
Waterfall
Lookingglass Falls22 km away · Union County · 781 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Isqúulktpe Creek Overlook28 km away · Umatilla County · 1,139 m
Emigrant Springs State Heritage AreaState Park
Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area31 km away · Umatilla County
Minam State Recreation AreaState Park
Minam State Recreation Area34 km away · Wallowa County
Wallowa Lake Highway Forest State Scenic CorridorState Park
Wallowa Lake Highway Forest State Scenic Corridor38 km away · Wallowa County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph North Fork Umatilla Wilderness?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at North Fork Umatilla Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:28 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:08 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:50 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at North Fork Umatilla Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 54° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 236°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from North Fork Umatilla Wilderness?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at North Fork Umatilla Wilderness?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is North Fork Umatilla Wilderness from Elgin?
About 25 km (15 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.