Patapsco Valley State Park — a state park in Howard County, Maryland — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Ellicott City, about 3.0 km (1.9 mi) away (Patapsco Valley State Park lies NNE of town).
Patapsco Valley State Park is a Maryland state park extending along 32 miles (51 km) of the Patapsco River south and west of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The park encompasses multiple developed areas on over 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) of land, making it Maryland's largest state park. In 2006, it was officially celebrated as Maryland's first state park, its first formation being in 1906. Patapsco Valley State Park is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.From the Wikipedia article “Patapsco Valley State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Patapsco Valley 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) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 58° ENE | 8:38 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 120° ESE | 4:48 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 | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:16 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 Patapsco Valley 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 8 (city 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 | 5:14 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:09 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.13 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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Patapsco Valley State Park, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Patapsco Valley State Park?
What time is golden hour at Patapsco Valley State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Patapsco Valley State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Patapsco Valley State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Patapsco Valley State Park?
How far is Patapsco Valley State Park from Ellicott City?
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.