Clearwater Wilderness — a wilderness area in Pierce County, Washington — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Mount Rainier National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 19.3 km (12.0 mi) SE of Buckley.
Clearwater Wilderness is a 14,647-acre (5,927 ha) wilderness area in the North Cascades mountain range, in northern Washington state, of the Northwestern United States. It is located in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, southeast of Tacoma in northeastern Pierce County. It was created by Congress in 1984, under the 1964 Wilderness Act that established the National Wilderness Preservation System. Its southern border reaches Mount Rainier National Park, affording views of Mount Rainier from its trails.From the Wikipedia article “Clearwater Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clearwater Wilderness 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 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° 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 | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 53° NE | 9:07 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 125° SE | 4:21 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 30m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:19 PM | 8h 56m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 04m |
| June | 4:32 AM | 5:12 AM | 6:00 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 53m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:14 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 32m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 15m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 22m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:27 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:55 PM | 8h 32m |
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 Clearwater Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.2 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | 5:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:28 AM – 4:18 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:35 AM – 3:05 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:00 AM – 2:10 AM | 2.2 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:35 PM – 1:05 AM | 1.5 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 11:01 PM | 0.7 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.89 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 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 wilderness area
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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
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 40 km of Clearwater Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Mountain Peak
Fire LookoutWaterfall
LakeWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Picnic Vista12.8 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- The Dalles Campground18.4 km (11.4 mi) · reservable
- White River Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Silver Springs Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clearwater Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Clearwater Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clearwater Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clearwater Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clearwater Wilderness?
How far is Clearwater Wilderness from Buckley?
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.