Located in Hamilton County, Ohio, Hauck Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden at about 247 m (810 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to William Howard Taft National Historic Site, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Walnut Hills, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (Hauck Botanic Gardens lies WNW of town).
The Hauck Botanic Gardens (8 acres) are horticultural gardens located at 2715 Reading Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, on the former estate of Cornelius J. Hauck (1893-1967). They are open daily without charge. Hauck planted some 900 varieties of trees and shrubs on the grounds, most of which are now owned and maintained by the Cincinnati Park Board, with the remainder maintained by the Civic Garden Center. The grounds also include the Gibson-Hauck House (built in 1856), now headquarters of the Cincinnati Horticultural Society, and an English tea house replicating a building from the 1939 New York World's Fair.From the Wikipedia article “Hauck Botanic Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hauck Botanic Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 59° ENE | 9:08 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:54 AM | 120° ESE | 5:19 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:27 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:37 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:26 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:03 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 26m |
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 Hauck Botanic Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | 5:45 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:54 AM – 6:14 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 4:33 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 4:07 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:59 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 12:45 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:19 PM – 10:39 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:30 PM – 8:40 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.25 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 45% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 73 | 81 | 83 | 87 | 98 | 102 | 100 | 98 | 94 | 79 | 70 |
| Low °F | -12 | -8 | 5 | 22 | 26 | 41 | 49 | 49 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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.
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 25 km of Hauck Botanic Gardens, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hauck Botanic Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Hauck Botanic Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hauck Botanic Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hauck Botanic Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hauck Botanic Gardens?
How far is Hauck Botanic Gardens from Walnut Hills?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.