Coltsville National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in Connecticut. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 3 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Coltsville
We matched 3 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Coltsville. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Natural Arches (1)
Covered Bridges (1)
Botanical Gardens (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Coltsville the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (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.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:16 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:45 PM | 242° | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 254° | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:31 PM | 284° | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:04 PM | 297° | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 303° | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 300° | 14h 55m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 290° | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:11 PM | 259° | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:22 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 246° | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:22 PM | 239° | 9h 10m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.7562, -72.6633); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Coltsville, 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 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:30 AM | 3.0 | 19° |
| June | 10:39 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.3 | 19° |
| July | 10:29 PM – 1:39 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:39 PM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 8:37 PM – 9:37 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
8 Estimated Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white.
Weather & best time to visit
Hartford experiences all four seasons. It is typically hot in the summer and cold in the winter with a pleasant spring and autumn.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Coltsville NHP is located in Hartford, Connecticut in the heart of the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood. See our directions page for how to get here.
Directions: National Park Service.
Nearby parks
MA
MA/CT
CT
NY
RI
NY