Located in Yakima County, Washington, Norse Peak Wilderness is a wilderness area. It lies in or next to Mount Rainier National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Cle Elum, about 47 km (29 mi) away (Norse Peak Wilderness lies SW of town).
Norse Peak Wilderness is a 52,315-acre (21,171 ha) designated wilderness area located in central Washington in the United States. It protects the portion of the Cascade Range north of Chinook Pass (Highway 410), south of Naches Pass (Naches Trail), and east of Mount Rainier National Park. It is bordered by the William O. Douglas Wilderness to the south. The wilderness is named for Norse Peak, a prominent peak which overlooks Crystal Mountain Ski Area. Roughly triangular, it is about 10 miles (16 km) across and contains no roads.From the Wikipedia article “Norse Peak Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Norse Peak 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) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 53° NE | 9:05 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 125° SE | 4:20 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 31m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:18 PM | 8h 56m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 03m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 52m |
| July | 4:49 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 31m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 14m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 23m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:53 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 Norse Peak 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 3 (rural sky), 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 | 5:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:27 AM – 4:17 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:34 AM – 3:04 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:59 PM – 2:09 AM | 2.2 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:34 PM – 1:04 AM | 1.5 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:20 PM – 11:00 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.41 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 29% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 55 | 54 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 92 | 81 | 59 | 47 |
| Low °F | -12 | -9 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 37 | 27 | 14 | -11 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 6.7 |
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
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 Norse Peak Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Pass
Natural Arch
Lake
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lodgepole Campground (Washington)6.9 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Silver Springs Campground7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Pleasant Valley Campground9.8 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
- Salmon Cove Group Site13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Hells Crossing Campground14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Norse Peak Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Norse Peak Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Norse Peak Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Norse Peak Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Norse Peak Wilderness?
How far is Norse Peak Wilderness from Cle Elum?
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.