Fort Boonesborough State Park is a state park in Clark County, Kentucky. It sits roughly 13.3 km (8.3 mi) SW of Winchester. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Boonesborough was a frontier fort in Kentucky, founded by Daniel Boone and his men following their crossing of the Kentucky River on April 1, 1775. The settlement they founded, known as Boonesborough, Kentucky, is Kentucky's second oldest European-American settlement. It served as a major frontier outpost during the American Revolutionary War, and survived into the early 19th century before its eventual abandonment. A National Historic Landmark now administered as part of Fort Boonesborough State Park, the site is one of the best-preserved archaeological sites of early westward expansion by British colonists in that period. It is located in Madison County, Kentucky off Kentucky Route 627.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Boonesborough State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Boonesborough 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:16 AM | 59° ENE | 9:03 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 120° ESE | 5:22 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:32 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:11 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:44 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:33 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:57 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Fort Boonesborough State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:42 AM – 6:12 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:46 AM – 5:26 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:46 AM – 4:36 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:57 PM – 4:17 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:51 PM – 2:51 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:50 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:16 PM – 10:46 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:28 PM – 8:48 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| 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 ≈ 20.35 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 48% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 70 | 73 | 82 | 83 | 91 | 105 | 104 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 83 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | -1 | 22 | 29 | 44 | 52 | 48 | 38 | 25 | 4 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Fort Boonesborough State Park, closest first.
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State Park
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Boonesborough State Park?
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How far is Fort Boonesborough State Park from Winchester?
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.