Dix National Forest — a national forest in Burlington County, New Jersey — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Country Lake Estates, about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) away (Dix National Forest lies ENE of town).
Dix National Forest was established in New Jersey by the U.S. Forest Service on April 10, 1925 with 6,785 acres (27.46 km2) from part of the Fort Dix Military Reservation. On April 6, 1928 the executive order for its creation was rescinded and the forest was abolished.From the Wikipedia article “Dix National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dix National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:37 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Dix National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:33 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:47 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:32 PM – 3:22 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 1:54 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:58 PM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:00 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.46 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 50% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 64 | 62 | 68 | 80 | 83 | 88 | 92 | 91 | 88 | 84 | 71 | 67 |
| Low °F | 6 | 5 | 11 | 29 | 37 | 49 | 58 | 58 | 50 | 37 | 25 | 14 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Dix National Forest, closest first.
Ghost Town
Ghost TownGhost Town
State Park
Botanical Garden
State Park
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dix National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Dix National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dix National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dix National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dix National Forest?
How far is Dix National Forest from Country Lake Estates?
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.