White Mountain National Forest — a national forest in Grafton County, New Hampshire — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is North Conway, about 22 km (14 mi) away (White Mountain National Forest lies WNW of town).
The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is a federally managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had already begun in 1914. It has a total area of 750,852 acres (303,859 ha) (1,225 sq mi). Most of the WMNF is in New Hampshire; a small part (about 5.65% of the forest) is in the neighboring state of Maine. Conservationist and community activist Katherine Sleeper Walden was instrumental in securing at-risk land for the forest, including thousands of acres in the region surrounding the locally famous Bowl near Wonalancet.From the Wikipedia article “White Mountain National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At White Mountain National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:03 AM | 56° NE | 8:33 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 123° ESE | 4:11 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 52m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:47 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:26 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 4:42 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:23 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:32 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:25 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:21 PM | 4:09 PM | 4:42 PM | 8h 54m |
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 White Mountain National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:39 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 4:15 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:56 PM – 2:36 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:42 PM – 1:12 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 11:14 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 9:07 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 56% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 75 | 83 | 87 | 89 | 92 | 83 | 76 | 65 | 55 |
| Low °F | -27 | -32 | -21 | 7 | 24 | 33 | 43 | 41 | 28 | 20 | -4 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
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 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.
- 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 White Mountain National Forest, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
WaterfallWaterfall
Mountain Pass
State Park
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Radeke Cabin11.8 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Russell-Colbath Barn12.7 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- Big Rock14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Hancock Campground (Nh)16.0 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Osceola Vista Campground17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph White Mountain National Forest?
What time is golden hour at White Mountain National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at White Mountain National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from White Mountain National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at White Mountain National Forest?
How far is White Mountain National Forest from North Conway?
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.