Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum — a state park in Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 6.2 km (3.9 mi) N of Cromwell.
Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum is a state-owned natural history preserve occupying 80 acres (32 ha) in the town of Rocky Hill, Connecticut. The state park protects one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America. The park was created in recognition of fossil trackways embedded in sandstone from the beginning of the Jurassic period, about 200 million years ago. The facility is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.From the Wikipedia article “Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 57° ENE | 8:29 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 121° ESE | 4:24 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:45 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:17 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 15h 11m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 54m |
| August | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:22 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 11m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:30 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 1:39 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:39 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 9:37 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.01 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 63 | 63 | 73 | 89 | 87 | 94 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 76 | 68 |
| Low °F | -10 | -12 | -1 | 21 | 33 | 40 | 51 | 51 | 41 | 23 | 10 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum, closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
Lake
State ParkMountain Peak
Waterfall
Natural ArchFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum?
How far is Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum from Cromwell?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.