Swallow Falls State Park — a state park in Garrett County, Maryland — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Oakland, about 10.0 km (6.2 mi) away (Swallow Falls State Park lies N of town).
Swallow Falls State Park is a Maryland state park located on the west bank of the Youghiogheny River nine miles (14 km) northwest of Oakland in Garrett County, Maryland, in the United States. The state park features Maryland's highest free-falling waterfall, the 53-foot (16 m) Muddy Creek Falls, as well as smaller waterfalls on the Youghiogheny River and Tolivar Creek. The park is notable for its stand of old hemlock trees, some more than 300 years old, "the last stand of its kind in Maryland."From the Wikipedia article “Swallow Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Swallow 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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 58° ENE | 8:49 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 120° ESE | 4:58 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 24m |
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 Swallow 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 5:02 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:41 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 12:16 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:20 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.6 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 54% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 66 | 70 | 77 | 85 | 87 | 90 | 97 | 94 | 93 | 89 | 74 | 72 |
| Low °F | -10 | -7 | -8 | 19 | 23 | 36 | 45 | 44 | 34 | 20 | 6 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Swallow Falls State Park, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
LakeWaterfallState Park
Mountain Pass
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mill Run Recreation Area25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Howell Run Picnic Area27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Robert W Craig28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Somerfield North Recreation Area29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Swallow Falls State Park?
What time is golden hour at Swallow Falls State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Swallow Falls State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Swallow Falls State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Swallow Falls State Park?
How far is Swallow Falls State Park from Oakland?
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.