Wayne National Forest is a national forest in Lawrence County, Ohio. The nearest town is Oak Hill, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Wayne National Forest lies SSE of town).
The Wayne National Forest is located in the Appalachian part of the US state of Ohio, in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. It is the first and only national forest in Ohio. Forest headquarters are located between The Plains and Nelsonville, Ohio, on US Route 33 overlooking the Hocking River. The North Country Trail passes through several areas of Wayne, in which it is coincident with the Buckeye Trail and the American Discovery Trail. The area of Ohio included within the national forest is based on late Paleozoic geology, heavy in sandstones and shales, including redbeds, with many coal beds. The topography is typically very rugged, with elevation changes typically in the 200–400-foot range.From the Wikipedia article “Wayne National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wayne 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 302° (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) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 59° ENE | 8:59 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 120° ESE | 5:13 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:02 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Wayne 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 22° 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 | 5:37 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:46 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 5:12 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:43 AM – 4:23 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:55 PM – 4:05 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 2:38 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:35 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 8:41 PM | 0.3 | 12° | 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 ≈ 21.27 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 49% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 72 | 74 | 83 | 84 | 96 | 103 | 107 | 103 | 101 | 96 | 83 | 72 |
| Low °F | -4 | -3 | 5 | 22 | 31 | 40 | 52 | 50 | 39 | 26 | 15 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
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 Wayne National Forest, closest first.
Covered Bridge
State Park
Covered Bridge
State Park
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Iron Ridge - Lake Vesuvius13.2 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Oak Hill - Lake Vesuvius13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wayne National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Wayne National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wayne National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wayne National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wayne National Forest?
How far is Wayne National Forest from Oak Hill?
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.