Sagamore Hill National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in New York. 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 Sagamore Hill
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Sagamore Hill. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
National Wildlife Refuges (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Sagamore 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (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 | 7:17 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 242° | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:29 PM | 254° | 10h 39m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:01 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:34 PM | 284° | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:05 PM | 296° | 14h 28m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:28 PM | 303° | 15h 06m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 300° | 14h 50m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 290° | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:05 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:15 PM | 259° | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:23 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:37 PM | 246° | 9h 55m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:28 PM | 239° | 9h 15m |
Computed for the park's reference point (40.8858, -73.4969); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Sagamore Hill, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.0 | 10° |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.2 | 17° |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:32 AM | 2.2 | 20° |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:39 AM | 3.3 | 20° |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:06 AM | 4.5 | 20° |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.3 | 20° |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:48 PM | 2.2 | 20° |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:49 PM | 1.2 | 17° |
| October | 7:46 PM – 7:46 PM | 0.0 | 11° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
7 Estimated Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye.
Weather & best time to visit
The Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound moderates the climate of Long Island and Sagamore Hill. Spring: Highs average between 50 F and 70 F. Snow in early March becomes rain by April. Summer: Average highs range between 70 F and the upper 80s F. Summers are drier but thunderstorms are possible. Fall: Highs are from the mid-50s F to the mid-70s F. Fall is the driest season, but showers are possible. Winter: Highs are around 40 F. Snow showers are common; the largest accumulations come in February.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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
Take Northern State Parkway to Exit 35N or the Long Island Expressway (I-495) to Exit 41N. At those exits, take Route 106 North for approximately 6 miles to downtown Oyster Bay. Turn right onto East Main Street and travel 2 miles on East Main Street/Cove Road. Turn left onto Cove Neck Road, drive 1.0 mile and turn right on Sagamore Hill Road, follow the brown signs up the hill and in 0.3 miles arrive at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Live Music
- Astronomy
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Arts and Crafts
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Living History
- Reenactments
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
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