Mead Run in the Allegheny National Forest.
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41.6522° N79.0212° WBortle 3New York

Allegheny National Forest Photography Guide

National Forest in Warren County, Pennsylvania

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: IvoShandor · CC BY 2.5 · source

Allegheny National Forest — a national forest in Warren County, Pennsylvania — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Sheffield, about 5.9 km (3.7 mi) away (Allegheny National Forest lies SSE of town).

The Allegheny National Forest is a National Forest in Northwestern Pennsylvania, about 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The forest covers 513,175 acres (801.8 sq mi; 2,076.7 km2) of land. Within the forest is Kinzua Dam, which impounds the Allegheny River to form Allegheny Reservoir. The administrative headquarters for the Allegheny National Forest is in Warren. The Allegheny National Forest has two ranger stations, one in Marienville, Forest County, and the other in Bradford, McKean County. The Allegheny National Forest lies in the heart of Pennsylvania's oil and gas region. It is only 40 miles (64 km) from the site of the first commercial oil well in the United States at Titusville, Pennsylvania. In 1981, about 17 percent of the state's crude oil production came from mineral rights owned by private individuals within the Forest boundary.From the Wikipedia article “Allegheny National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Sheffield
5.9 km (3.7 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
55% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:59 PM
sunset 6:36 PM

Light at Allegheny National Forest

Live
Sunrise
7:34 AM
Sunset
6:29 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:13 AM
Golden hour PM
5:51 PM – 6:46 PM
Blue hour AM
7:06 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:46 PM – 6:57 PM
Full darkness
8:01 PM – 6:03 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:47 PM / 1:27 AM
Day length
10h 54m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Allegheny National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:20 AM90° E7:28 PM271° W48°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:43 AM57° ENE8:55 PM303° WNW72°15h 12m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:04 AM89° E7:15 PM271° W49°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:40 AM121° ESE4:49 PM239° WSW25°9h 09m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:11 AM7:41 AM8:24 AM4:28 PM5:11 PM5:41 PM9h 29m
February6:44 AM7:13 AM7:51 AM5:11 PM5:50 PM6:18 PM10h 37m
March7:01 AM7:29 AM8:06 AM6:46 PM7:23 PM7:50 PM11h 54m
April6:08 AM6:37 AM7:14 AM7:19 PM7:57 PM8:25 PM13h 20m
May5:26 AM5:58 AM6:37 AM7:49 PM8:29 PM9:01 PM14h 32m
June5:08 AM5:42 AM6:24 AM8:11 PM8:53 PM9:27 PM15h 11m
July5:22 AM5:55 AM6:36 AM8:09 PM8:50 PM9:23 PM14h 54m
August5:56 AM6:25 AM7:04 AM7:39 PM8:18 PM8:47 PM13h 52m
September6:29 AM6:57 AM7:34 AM6:51 PM7:27 PM7:55 PM12h 30m
October7:01 AM7:29 AM8:06 AM5:59 PM6:36 PM7:04 PM11h 08m
November6:36 AM7:06 AM7:47 AM4:16 PM4:57 PM5:27 PM9h 51m
December7:05 AM7:37 AM8:21 AM4:03 PM4:47 PM5:19 PM9h 11m

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 Allegheny National Forest, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—10°—
March4:46 AM – 5:46 AM1.016°SE → SSE
April2:47 AM – 4:47 AM2.019°SE → S
May12:55 AM – 3:55 AM3.019°SSE → S
June11:04 PM – 3:24 AM4.319°SSE → SSW
July10:54 PM – 2:04 AM3.219°S → SW
August10:04 PM – 12:04 AM2.019°S → SW
September9:02 PM – 10:02 PM1.016°SSW → SW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—10°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.65 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (84%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F606776798691959794877366
Low °F-13-13-2162336444436222-3
Precip. (in)2.82.83.03.53.84.34.13.43.73.83.13.2

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

  • 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.
  • Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Allegheny National Forest, closest first.

Chapman State ParkState Park
Chapman State Park17 km away · Warren County
Scenic Viewpoint
Jakes Rocks Overlook22 km away · Warren County · 602 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Rimrock Overlook22 km away · Warren County · 609 m
Hickory Creek WildernessWilderness Area
Hickory Creek Wilderness23 km away · Warren County
Wilderness Area
Allegheny Islands Wilderness27 km away · Warren County
Scenic Viewpoint
Tidioute Overlook30 km away · Warren County · 501 m
Bendigo State ParkState Park
Bendigo State Park35 km away · Elk County
Clear Creek State ParkState Park
Clear Creek State Park36 km away · Forest County
Kinzua Bridge State ParkState Park
Kinzua Bridge State Park38 km away · McKean County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Allegheny National Forest?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
What time is golden hour at Allegheny National Forest?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:59 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:36 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:06 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Allegheny National Forest?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 57° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Allegheny National Forest?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Allegheny National Forest?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Allegheny National Forest from Sheffield?
About 5.9 km (3.7 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.