Henry M. Jackson Wilderness is a wilderness area in Snohomish County, Washington. It is part of Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest town is Gold Bar, about 29 km (18 mi) away (Henry M. Jackson Wilderness lies ENE of town).
The Henry M. Jackson Wilderness is a 103,297-acre (41,803 ha) designated wilderness area in the state of Washington, United States. The area lies adjacent to the southwest corner of the Glacier Peak Wilderness, northwest of Stevens Pass on U.S. Highway 2 and northeast of the town of Skykomish, Washington. Wild Sky Wilderness is located immediately southwest of the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. While the wilderness straddles the Cascade Mountain Range, most of it is in the westside ecotype. The wilderness lies in parts of Snoqualmie, Mount Baker, and Wenatchee national forests.From the Wikipedia article “Henry M. Jackson Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Henry M. Jackson Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:07 AM | 53° NE | 9:09 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 126° SE | 4:15 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 22m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:15 PM | 8h 49m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:28 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 16m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:50 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 10m |
| June | 4:25 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:55 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:48 PM | 16h 01m |
| July | 4:43 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:14 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 39m |
| August | 5:27 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 19m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:50 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 17m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:20 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:50 PM | 8h 24m |
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 Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 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 | 3:41 AM – 4:11 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:43 AM – 2:53 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:22 AM – 1:42 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:48 PM – 12:48 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:26 PM – 10:46 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.37 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 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
- 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 Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Glacier
Mountain Peak
Lake
Waterfall
Ghost Town
LakeWaterfall
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Troublesome Creek Campground9.3 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
- Bedal Campground14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Evergreen Mountain Lookout16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Coal Creek Group Camp20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Heybrook Lookout23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Henry M. Jackson Wilderness?
How far is Henry M. Jackson Wilderness from Gold Bar?
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.