Cunningham Falls State Park — a state park in Frederick County, Maryland — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Thurmont, about 4.4 km (2.7 mi) away (Cunningham Falls State Park lies SW of town).
Cunningham Falls State Park is a Maryland state park located west of Thurmont, Maryland, in the United States. The state park is the home of Cunningham Falls, the largest cascading waterfall in Maryland, a 43-acre (17 ha) man-made lake, and the remains of a historic iron furnace. The park is one of several protected areas occupying 50-mile-long Catoctin Mountain; it is bordered on its north by Catoctin Mountain Park and on its south by Frederick Municipal Forest.From the Wikipedia article “Cunningham Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cunningham Falls State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 58° ENE | 8:41 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 23m |
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 Cunningham Falls 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 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 2:13 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:12 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: 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 ≈ 20.17 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 68 | 76 | 78 | 89 | 91 | 98 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 78 | 72 |
| Low °F | -3 | -10 | -5 | 22 | 29 | 42 | 52 | 52 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 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
- 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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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 Cunningham Falls State Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock Formation
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeScenic Viewpoint
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Misty Mount4.5 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- Camp Round Meadow4.5 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- Adirondack Shelters5.9 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Poplar Grove Youth Group Campground6.2 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Owens Creek Campground7.3 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cunningham Falls State Park?
What time is golden hour at Cunningham Falls State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cunningham Falls State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cunningham Falls State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cunningham Falls State Park?
How far is Cunningham Falls State Park from Thurmont?
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.