Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in Vermont. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Covered Bridges (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:39 PM | 241° | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:21 PM | 253° | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:56 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 285° | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:09 PM | 298° | 14h 43m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 304° | 15h 25m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 301° | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 291° | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 275° | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:08 PM | 259° | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:26 PM | 245° | 9h 41m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:15 PM | 238° | 8h 57m |
Computed for the park's reference point (43.6335, -72.5342); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:42 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.7 | 14° |
| April | 2:38 AM – 4:18 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| May | 12:42 AM – 3:12 AM | 2.5 | 17° |
| June | 10:57 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.7 | 17° |
| July | 10:44 PM – 1:24 AM | 2.7 | 17° |
| August | 9:47 PM – 11:17 PM | 1.5 | 17° |
| September | 8:41 PM – 9:21 PM | 0.7 | 14° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
The weather in Vermont is dramatic and varied depending on location, terrain, distance from a body of water like Lake Champlain, and elevation and can change from year to year. In the Woodstock area, summer daily high temperatures range between 60 to 80 degrees, with some days reaching into the 90s. Winter is Vermont's longest season and temps in winter vary more than those in summer. Common to experience freezing temperatures from Nov to March, many sub-zero days, seasonal snowfall averages 80 inches.
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 (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 (%)
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
Shared parking is at the Billings Farm & Museum. If using a GPS, please enter "Billings Farm & Museum". If you'd like to watch the park film, begin your visit at the Billings Farm & Museum Visitor Center. To enter Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, take the paved path to the right of the Billings Farm & Museum Visitor Center, walk up and cross the street, and then take the left fork to reach the National Park Carriage Barn Visitor Center. Accessible parking available next to the Mansion.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Live Music
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Arts and Crafts
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snow Play
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
Nearby parks
NH
NY
MA
MA/CT
MA
MA