Located in Weber County, Utah, Weber County North Fork Park is a dark sky place. It sits roughly 5.5 km (3.4 mi) NW of Liberty. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Weber County North Fork Park 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) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 57° ENE | 9:05 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 121° ESE | 5:02 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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:33 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 12m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Weber County North Fork Park, 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 5 (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 | 5:45 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:57 AM – 5:57 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:54 AM – 4:14 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 3:42 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:02 PM – 2:22 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 12:13 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 8:20 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.37 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 July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 53 | 53 | 69 | 75 | 86 | 92 | 97 | 93 | 89 | 80 | 65 | 50 |
| Low °F | -19 | -23 | -4 | 4 | 18 | 25 | 37 | 35 | 22 | 1 | -17 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
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 dark sky place
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Weber County North Fork Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Natural Arch
Canyon
National Wildlife Refuge
Canyon
State Park
National Forest
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Port Ramp Marina13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Box Elder Campground13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Cemetery Point Picnic Area14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Middle Inlet Group Day Use15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Maples Campground16.2 km (10.1 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Weber County North Fork Park?
What time is golden hour at Weber County North Fork Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Weber County North Fork Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Weber County North Fork Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Weber County North Fork Park?
How far is Weber County North Fork Park from Liberty?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via Wikidata). 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.