Hopewell Furnace 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 Hopewell Furnace 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 26° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:02 PM | 243° | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 254° | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 284° | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:12 PM | 296° | 14h 24m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 302° | 15h 01m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 300° | 14h 46m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 289° | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 275° | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 260° | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:48 PM | 246° | 9h 58m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:39 PM | 240° | 9h 20m |
Computed for the park's reference point (40.2061, -75.7677); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Hopewell Furnace, 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 5 (suburban 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 | 5:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.0 | 11° |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.2 | 17° |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:39 AM | 2.2 | 20° |
| May | 12:24 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:29 AM | 4.8 | 21° |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:01 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.3 | 20° |
| September | 8:46 PM – 9:56 PM | 1.2 | 17° |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.2 | 11° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
5 Estimated Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow.
Weather & best time to visit
Summers are generally humid with daily temps. averaging 83 degrees (F) for a high and 60 degrees (F) for a low. Daily temps. in January average 38 degrees (F) for a high and 20 degrees (F) for a low. Precipitation averages 3-5 inches of rain per month during spring, summer and autumn. During winter conditions can be icy with snow accumulating up to several inches.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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
On PA Route 345, 5 miles South of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Volunteer Vacation
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Hunting and Gathering
- Gathering and Foraging
- Living History
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Wildlife Watching
Nearby parks
PA
DE/PA
PA
PA
PA
CT/GA