Steamtown 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 Steamtown the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:58 PM | 242° | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:37 PM | 254° | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:09 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 284° | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:15 PM | 297° | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:29 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:39 PM | 303° | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:36 PM | 300° | 14h 53m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 290° | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:14 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:23 PM | 259° | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:44 PM | 246° | 9h 53m |
| December | 7:23 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:35 PM | 239° | 9h 12m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.4076, -75.6704); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Steamtown, 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 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 | 4:32 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:33 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 12:31 AM – 3:41 AM | 3.2 | 20° |
| June | 10:49 PM – 3:19 AM | 4.5 | 20° |
| July | 10:39 PM – 1:49 AM | 3.2 | 20° |
| August | 9:50 PM – 11:50 PM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:49 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | 7:56 PM – 7:56 PM | 0.0 | 10° |
| 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
Warm and sometimes humid summers; cold and rainy or snowy winters. Wear seasonable clothing and good walking shoes. For travel aboard the summer and fall seasonal excursion trains, please note that the commuter-type coaches are not air-conditioned, or may not be heated. Therefore, we recommend that you dress appropriately for the season that you plan to visit us!
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 56% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (76%). 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
Our GPS coordinates are: N 41.410730 (latitude), W 75.671329 (longitude) using our Park entrance, Lackawanna Ave at Cliff St, 18503 General Driving Directions: Take I-81 to exit 185. Continue onto President Biden Expressway (formerly known as Central Scranton Expressway) and follow signs to Mifflin Ave. Turn left onto Mifflin Ave. Turn right onto Lackawanna Ave. Turn left onto Cliff St (Park entrance).
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Nearby parks
NY/PA
NJ/PA
NJ
PA/NJ
CT/GA
PA