Friendship Hill National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Pennsylvania. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Friendship Hill 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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:40 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:20 PM | 243° | 9h 40m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:56 PM | 254° | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:32 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 284° | 13h 15m |
| May | 6:06 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 296° | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:52 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:50 PM | 302° | 14h 58m |
| July | 6:05 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:48 PM | 299° | 14h 43m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:18 PM | 289° | 13h 45m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 275° | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:42 PM | 260° | 11h 11m |
| November | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:05 PM | 247° | 10h 00m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:57 PM | 240° | 9h 22m |
Computed for the park's reference point (39.7754, -79.9250); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Friendship Hill, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:27 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.2 | 11° |
| March | 4:37 AM – 5:57 AM | 1.3 | 18° |
| April | 2:34 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.5 | 21° |
| May | 12:38 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| June | 10:52 PM – 3:42 AM | 4.8 | 21° |
| July | 10:44 PM – 2:24 AM | 3.7 | 21° |
| August | 9:59 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.3 | 21° |
| September | 9:02 PM – 10:22 PM | 1.3 | 18° |
| October | 8:12 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.2 | 12° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather varies considerably within each season. Be prepared with layered clothing. Precipitation is common throughout the year. Spring: Temperatures usually range from 25°F to 70°F. On average, May is the wettest month. Summer: Temperatures usually range from 50°F to 80°F. July is the warmest month. Fall: Temperatures usually range from 30°F to 70°F. Fall foliage is at its peak around mid-October. Winter: Temperatures range from 15°F to 40°F. January is the coldest month.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 54% 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 (%)
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
Friendship Hill NHS is located on PA 166 three miles north of Point Marion, Pennsylvania. We are 27 miles and about 35 minutes from our sister site Fort Necessity National Battlefield.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
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PA
VA
OH