Swan Lake State Park — a state park in Waldo County, Maine — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Swanville, about 5.0 km (3.1 mi) away (Swan Lake State Park lies NNE of town).
Swan Lake State Park is a public recreation area at the north end of 3-mile-long (4.8 km) Swan Lake in the town of Swanville, Waldo County, Maine. The state park's 67 acres (27 ha) offer opportunities for swimming, picnicking, canoeing, and fishing. The 1,370-acre (550 ha) lake supports populations of smallmouth bass, landlocked salmon, white perch, brook trout, and wild togue. The park is managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.From the Wikipedia article “Swan Lake State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Swan Lake State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:40 AM | 90° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:52 AM | 55° NE | 8:25 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:24 AM | 89° E | 6:35 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 123° ESE | 3:59 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:35 AM | 5:09 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:14 AM | 4:51 AM | 5:36 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:23 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 32m |
| July | 4:30 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:08 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:23 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:17 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:41 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:09 PM | 3:57 PM | 4:31 PM | 8h 51m |
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 Swan Lake State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 3:57 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 2:53 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:51 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 12:57 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 10:57 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 8:58 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 53% 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 | 53 | 51 | 72 | 73 | 81 | 88 | 89 | 93 | 94 | 79 | 64 | 60 |
| Low °F | -19 | -19 | -13 | 15 | 29 | 38 | 49 | 47 | 36 | 24 | 6 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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 Swan Lake State Park, closest first.
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Covered Bridge
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Swan Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Swan Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Swan Lake State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Swan Lake State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Swan Lake State Park?
How far is Swan Lake State Park from Swanville?
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.