Wilmington State Parks — a state park in New Castle County, Delaware — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.0 km (0.6 mi) NNW of Wilmington.
Wilmington State Parks is a public recreation area located in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. Open year-round, the park covers 576 acres (233 ha) of land mostly situated along the Brandywine Creek. The state park is made up of a group of smaller parks that are administratively managed as a single unit. Although much of the land comprising Wilmington State Parks is owned by the city of Wilmington, the park is operated and maintained by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation, a branch of the state's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The state park was created in 1998 when the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation assumed management responsibilities, though the individual parks are much older, with the oldest dating back to 1886.From the Wikipedia article “Wilmington State Parks”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wilmington State Parks 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 58° ENE | 8:34 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 121° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Wilmington State Parks, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:50 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:24 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:01 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:04 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:04 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.37 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 (63%). 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 | 67 | 72 | 77 | 91 | 90 | 97 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 0 | -1 | -3 | 25 | 35 | 46 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 30 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Wilmington State Parks, closest first.
Botanical Garden
State Park
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseLighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wilmington State Parks?
What time is golden hour at Wilmington State Parks?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wilmington State Parks?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wilmington State Parks?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wilmington State Parks?
How far is Wilmington State Parks from Wilmington?
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.