Topsmead is a state park in Northwest Hills Planning Region, Connecticut. It sits roughly 2.4 km (1.5 mi) E of Litchfield. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Topsmead State Forest is a Connecticut state forest located in the town of Litchfield. It was formerly the summer residence of Edith Morton Chase, daughter of Henry Sabin Chase, first president of the Chase Brass and Copper Company. She left the house and its grounds to the state of Connecticut on her death in 1972. The estate house, built in 1929 to a design by Richard Henry Dana, is a fine example of a Tudor Revival country estate house, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.From the Wikipedia article “Topsmead State Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Topsmead the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (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) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 57° ENE | 8:32 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 122° ESE | 4:26 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Topsmead, 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 5 (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 | 4:23 AM – 5:23 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:24 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 3:32 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:41 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 11:41 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:39 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.51 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 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 91 | 87 | 95 | 101 | 102 | 96 | 88 | 76 | 69 |
| Low °F | -16 | -15 | -8 | 18 | 30 | 38 | 49 | 50 | 37 | 21 | 6 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 4.2 |
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
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Topsmead, closest first.
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State Park
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Northfield Brook Lake Group Shelters8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Topsmead?
What time is golden hour at Topsmead?
Where does the sun rise and set at Topsmead?
Can you see the Milky Way from Topsmead?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Topsmead?
How far is Topsmead from Litchfield?
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.