Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland is a state park in Baltimore County, Maryland. It sits roughly 6.2 km (3.9 mi) E of Edgemere.
Hart-Miller Island State Park is a 244-acre (99 ha) public recreation area located at the mouth of Back River in Essex, Maryland. The state park consists of Hart-Miller Island, a man-made landfill linking two natural Chesapeake Bay islands, Hart and Miller, and also includes Hawk Cove and Pleasure Island. The park is accessible only by boat.From the Wikipedia article “Hart-Miller Island State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland 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) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 58° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 25m |
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 Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland, 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 6 (bright 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:13 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:08 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.22 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 67 | 73 | 78 | 90 | 91 | 96 | 103 | 99 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 1 | -4 | -2 | 24 | 33 | 45 | 54 | 54 | 42 | 29 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
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
- 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 Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland?
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Can you see the Milky Way from Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland?
How far is Hart-Miller Island State Park, Maryland from Edgemere?
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.