Saint Croix River Light — a lighthouse in Washington County, Maine — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Saint Croix Island International Historic Site, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 12.8 km (8.0 mi) ESE of Calais. Its recorded tower height is about 23 m (75 ft). It dates from 1857.
St. Croix River Light is a lighthouse on the St. Croix River, Maine, close to the Canada–United States border. It was first established in 1857. An octagonal wood tower on top of a keeper's house was built in 1901 and was destroyed by fire in 1976. The present skeleton tower was built following the fire.From the Wikipedia article “Saint Croix River Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Saint Croix River Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:33 AM | 90° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:42 AM | 55° NE | 8:20 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:28 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 124° ESE | 3:50 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 45m |
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
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:46 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:14 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:45 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 4:26 AM | 5:00 AM | 5:43 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:04 AM | 4:42 AM | 5:27 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 37m |
| July | 4:20 AM | 4:56 AM | 5:40 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:50 PM | 15h 18m |
| August | 4:59 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:15 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 5:55 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:12 AM | 3:16 PM | 4:01 PM | 4:33 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:50 AM | 2:59 PM | 3:48 PM | 4:22 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Saint Croix River Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:34 AM – 4:54 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 3:53 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 2:42 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:54 PM – 2:04 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 12:47 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 10:44 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 56% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 54 | 51 | 72 | 76 | 82 | 89 | 88 | 90 | 89 | 78 | 65 | 57 |
| Low °F | -28 | -25 | -18 | 11 | 27 | 35 | 46 | 43 | 33 | 22 | 4 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 5.0 |
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 lighthouse
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Pettegrove Point, Dochet Island, 851 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Saint Croix River Light, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Saint Croix River Light?
What time is golden hour at Saint Croix River Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Saint Croix River Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Saint Croix River Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Saint Croix River Light?
How far is Saint Croix River Light from Calais?
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.