Hoosier National Forest is a national forest in Orange County, Indiana. The nearest town is Paoli, about 10.0 km (6.2 mi) away (Hoosier National Forest lies SSW of town).
The Hoosier National Forest is a property managed by the United States Forest Service in the hills of Southern Indiana. Composed of four separate sections, each of which has many parcels, it has a total area of 204,303 acres (827 km2; 319 sq mi). Hoosier National Forest's headquarters are located in Bedford, with a regional office in Tell City. Prominent places within the Forest include the Lick Creek Settlement Site, the Potts Creek Rockshelter Archeological Site, and the Jacob Rickenbaugh House.From the Wikipedia article “Hoosier National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hoosier National Forest 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 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:51 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:23 AM | 59° ENE | 9:14 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:35 AM | 89° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 120° ESE | 5:29 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:43 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:18 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:32 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:33 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:44 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 6:04 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:41 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:10 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:31 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:39 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 30m |
Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), 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 Hoosier National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:43 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 5:02 AM – 6:22 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 5:27 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:58 AM – 4:38 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 11:10 PM – 4:20 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:03 PM – 2:53 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 12:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:26 PM – 10:56 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:37 PM – 8:57 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 67 | 72 | 80 | 83 | 89 | 107 | 107 | 101 | 101 | 94 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | -6 | -8 | -1 | 23 | 32 | 42 | 51 | 51 | 38 | 25 | 12 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.1 |
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 national forest
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Hoosier National Forest, closest first.
Natural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
CaveNatural Arch
CaveCave
State Park
Ghost Town
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Youngs Creek Campground5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Shirley Creek Campground 20 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hoosier National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Hoosier National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hoosier National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hoosier National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hoosier National Forest?
How far is Hoosier National Forest from Paoli?
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.