Highland Light — a lighthouse in Barnstable County, Massachusetts — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Cape Cod National Seashore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 5.2 km (3.2 mi) N of Truro. Its recorded tower height is about 20 m (66 ft). It dates from 1797. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Highland Light (previously known as Cape Cod Light) is an active lighthouse on the Cape Cod National Seashore in North Truro, Massachusetts. The current tower was erected in 1857, replacing two earlier towers that had been built in 1797 and 1831. It is the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod. The grounds are open year-round, while the light is open to the public from May until late October, with guided tours available. Highland Light is owned by the National Park Service, and was cared for by the Highland Museum and Lighthouse, Inc. until 2014 when Eastern National, another non-profit group, took over the contract to operate the facility as a tourist attraction. The United States Coast Guard operates the light as an aid to navigation. The United States Navy ship USS Highland Light (IX-48) was named after the light. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as...From the Wikipedia article “Highland Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Highland Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:45 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 57° ENE | 8:20 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 122° ESE | 4:12 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 06m |
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 | 6:36 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:05 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:53 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 4:45 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:22 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:47 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:42 PM | 9h 08m |
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 Highland Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:12 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:29 PM – 11:29 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 9:27 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.08 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (70%). August 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 | 58 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 88 | 89 | 86 | 77 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 8 | 27 | 37 | 46 | 55 | 56 | 49 | 36 | 18 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 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
- 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.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Provincetown, 10.1 km (6.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Highland Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Ghost Town
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
BeachBeach
LighthouseBeach
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Highland Beach Suites, Unit 31.1 km (0.7 mi) · reservable
- Highland Beach Suites, Unit 21.1 km (0.7 mi) · reservable
- Highland Beach Suites, Unit 11.2 km (0.7 mi) · reservable
- Bay View House9.1 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
- Ocean View House14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Highland Light?
What time is golden hour at Highland Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Highland Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Highland Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Highland Light?
How far is Highland Light from Truro?
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.