Located in Brown County, Indiana, Brown County State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 10.5 km (6.5 mi) S of Nashville.
Brown County State Park is located in the United States in the center of the southern half of the state of Indiana. The park is by far the largest of 24 state parks in Indiana, and occupies 15,776 acres (63.84 km2)—making it one of the larger state parks in the United States. It is among Indiana's most visited state parks with about 1.2 million visitors annually. Although Bloomington, Indiana, is the closest city, the park is closer to the small town of Nashville in Brown County. Brown County is named for General Jacob Brown, who fought in the War of 1812 and became Commanding General of the United States Army. The park opened in 1929, and was dedicated in 1932 as a memorial to Indiana humorist Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard. Although Hubbard lived and worked in Indianapolis, he was a frequent visitor to Nashville and the surrounding woods. The park's Abe Martin Lodge is named after...From the Wikipedia article “Brown County State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Brown County State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (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) | 7:49 AM | 90° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:20 AM | 59° ENE | 9:15 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:33 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 120° ESE | 5:26 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:34 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:44 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:16 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:33 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:46 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:42 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:10 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:31 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 26m |
Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), 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 Brown County State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:52 AM – 6:02 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 5:01 AM – 6:21 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 5:27 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 4:39 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 4:12 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:05 PM – 2:55 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 12:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:26 PM – 10:46 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:37 PM – 8:47 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.16 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 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 65 | 72 | 81 | 82 | 88 | 105 | 105 | 100 | 99 | 92 | 78 | 69 |
| Low °F | -18 | -11 | 4 | 23 | 28 | 39 | 47 | 48 | 36 | 25 | 10 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
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 Brown County State Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Covered Bridge
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
Covered Bridge
Scenic Viewpoint
LakeScenic Viewpoint
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blackwell Campground 15.2 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- Hickory Ridge Campground15.4 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Hardin Ridge18.2 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Brown County State Park?
What time is golden hour at Brown County State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Brown County State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Brown County State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Brown County State Park?
How far is Brown County State Park from Nashville?
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.