Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness is a wilderness area in Clackamas County, Oregon. It sits roughly 8.6 km (5.3 mi) S of Mount Hood Village.
The Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness is a wilderness area located on the southern side of Mount Hood in the northwestern Cascades of Oregon, in the United States. It lies within the Mount Hood National Forest and comprises 62,061 acres (25,115 ha) of land. The United States Congress designated the area Wilderness in 1984.From the Wikipedia article “Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 55° NE | 9:00 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 124° ESE | 4:29 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 44m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:04 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 53m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 38m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 19m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 32m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:01 PM | 8h 45m |
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 Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:13 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:12 AM – 4:32 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:11 AM – 3:21 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:33 PM – 2:43 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 1:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 11:22 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 9:22 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.15 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 61 | 60 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 93 | 99 | 96 | 96 | 83 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 32 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
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
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
LakeWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tollgate7.4 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Wildwood Recreation Site8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Camp Creek9.1 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
- Riley Horse Campground14.7 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Lost Creek16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness?
How far is Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness from Mount Hood Village?
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.