Located in Somerset County, New Jersey, Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Weston, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) away (Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens lies SSE of town).
The Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens (144 acres) are gardens and an arboretum located in Colonial Park (651 acres), 150 Mettlers Road, in the East Millstone area of Franklin Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey. The grounds are open daily without fee. The arboretum contains labeled specimens of flowering trees, evergreens, shade trees, dwarf conifers, and flowering shrubs. Some of the genera represented are Abies (firs), Acer (maples), Aesculus (buckeyes), Carpinus (ironwoods), Chamaecyparis (false cypress), Cedrus (cedars), Celtis (hackberries), Cephalotaxus (plum yews), Ilex (hollies), Juniperus (junipers), Picea (spruces), Pinus (pines), Quercus (oaks), and Sorbus (mountain ashes). The arboretum area also contains several gardens: the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden, 1-acre (4,000 m2) with more than 3,000 roses of 325 varieties; the Fragrance and Sensory Garden (1981);...From the Wikipedia article “Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:29 AM | 58° ENE | 8:33 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 121° ESE | 4:35 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:12 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 5:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:35 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:40 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:16 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 11:50 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:52 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 7:50 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.56 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
State Park
Botanical Garden
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens?
How far is Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens from Weston?
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.