Highstead Arboretum — a botanical garden in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Bethel, about 5.6 km (3.5 mi) away (Highstead Arboretum lies SSE of town).
Highstead, formerly known as Highstead Arboretum, in Redding, Connecticut, United States was founded in 1982. It covers 36 acres (146,000 m2) of woodland, meadow, and wetland and ranges from 640 feet (200 m) to 758 feet (231 m) in elevation and hosts both native and cultivated plant varieties. Highstead includes the following collections: The Native tree and shrub collection, with indigenous plants from within a 100-mile (160 km) radius of the arboretum. The Mountain Laurel collection, includes three of the seven mountain laurel, or Kalmia, species. Highstead is host to a thorough collection of Kalmia latifolia, the Connecticut state flower, and a representative collection of the genus, for which it is also the International Cultivar Registration Authority. The Deciduous Azaleas collection, with 14 species of deciduous azaleas, including three native species. A Herbarium with more...From the Wikipedia article “Highstead Foundation”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Highstead Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 57° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:28 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 11m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:57 PM | 9h 13m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Highstead Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:33 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:40 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 1:48 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:39 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:39 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 7:46 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.21 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 September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (65%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 91 | 87 | 95 | 101 | 102 | 96 | 88 | 76 | 69 |
| Low °F | -16 | -15 | -8 | 18 | 30 | 38 | 49 | 50 | 37 | 21 | 6 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 4.2 |
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 botanical garden
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Highstead Arboretum, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
LakeFAQ
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How far is Highstead Arboretum from Bethel?
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.