Located in Henry County, Indiana, Summit Lake State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 12.2 km (7.6 mi) NNE of New Castle.
Summit Lake State Park is a park located near New Castle, Indiana in east-central Indiana. Summit Lake became Indiana's 19th state park in 1988. The park covers 2,680 acres (11 km2), including an 800-acre (3.2 km2) lake. The park is a mix of woodlands, old fields, wetlands, and prairie restoration areas which provide a wide range of flora and fauna. More than 100 species of birds reside in the park, and the area is popular among photographers and bird watchers. Hiking trails offer good views of the lake. Zeigler Woods Nature Preserve, at the southwest corner of the park, is Henry County's only dedicated nature preserve. Summit Lake receives about 235,000 visitors annually. The park was 1 of 14 Indiana State Parks in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse, with the park experiencing 3 minutes and 59 seconds of totality.From the Wikipedia article “Summit Lake State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Summit Lake State Park 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 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:46 AM | 90° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 58° ENE | 9:14 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:29 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:00 AM | 121° ESE | 5:20 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 19m |
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 | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:44 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:10 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 7:07 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:27 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:30 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:56 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:40 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:42 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:09 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:25 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:29 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Summit Lake State Park, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:48 AM – 5:58 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:58 AM – 6:18 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 1:00 AM – 4:30 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 4:05 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:07 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 12:41 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:24 PM – 10:34 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:33 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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 ≈ 20.92 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 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 64 | 70 | 81 | 81 | 91 | 104 | 104 | 96 | 97 | 90 | 77 | 70 |
| Low °F | -18 | -17 | -1 | 21 | 24 | 41 | 46 | 46 | 37 | 27 | 10 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
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 Summit Lake State Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
State Park
Mountain PeakFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Summit Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Summit Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Summit Lake State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Summit Lake State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Summit Lake State Park?
How far is Summit Lake State Park from New Castle?
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.