Located in Clallam County, Washington, Daniel J. Evans Wilderness is a wilderness area. It lies in or next to Olympic National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 41 km (25 mi) SSW of Port Angeles East.
Olympic National Park is a national park of the United States located in Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula. The park has four regions: the Pacific coastline, the west-side temperate rainforest, alpine areas, and the forests of the drier east side. Within the park there are three distinct ecosystems, including subalpine forest and wildflower meadow, temperate forest, and the rugged Pacific coast.From the Wikipedia article “Olympic National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Daniel J. Evans 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 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 53° NE | 9:17 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 125° SE | 4:25 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 24m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:49 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 8h 51m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 16m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 09m |
| June | 4:35 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:56 PM | 15h 59m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 37m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:58 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 18m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:50 AM | 3:30 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:59 PM | 8h 26m |
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 Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:49 AM – 4:19 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:50 AM – 3:10 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:24 AM – 2:04 AM | 1.7 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:53 PM – 1:03 AM | 1.2 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:33 PM – 11:03 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.5 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 58 | 62 | 67 | 76 | 89 | 98 | 99 | 97 | 99 | 84 | 65 | 54 |
| Low °F | -2 | 12 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 37 | 39 | 41 | 32 | 22 | 3 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 14.2 | 8.6 | 10.9 | 6.6 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 9.6 | 15.0 | 13.9 |
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.
- 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
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 Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Glacier
Waterfall
Glacier
Glacier
Mountain PeakGlacier
Mountain Pass
GlacierCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Daniel J. Evans Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Daniel J. Evans Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Daniel J. Evans Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Daniel J. Evans Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Daniel J. Evans Wilderness?
How far is Daniel J. Evans Wilderness from Port Angeles East?
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.