Located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Ashland State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Ashland, about 2.1 km (1.3 mi) away (Ashland State Park lies S of town).
Ashland State Park is a public recreation area surrounding the 157-acre (64 ha) Ashland Reservoir in the town of Ashland, Massachusetts. The state park's 470 acres (190 ha) incorporate the entire shoreline of the reservoir, which is abutted by the Warren Conference Center and Inn of Framingham State University, town-owned land once the site of Camp Winnetaska (a Girl Scouts camp), and residential houses. The park is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.From the Wikipedia article “Ashland State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ashland State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:10 AM | 57° ENE | 8:27 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 122° ESE | 4:17 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
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 | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:37 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:35 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:07 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:30 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:47 PM | 9h 07m |
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 Ashland State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 3:18 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 2:48 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 1:28 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:26 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:33 PM – 9:23 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.57 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 64 | 65 | 75 | 86 | 89 | 93 | 98 | 100 | 97 | 86 | 72 | 67 |
| Low °F | -12 | -15 | -3 | 18 | 31 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 41 | 22 | 10 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
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
- 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 Ashland State Park, closest first.
State Park
Lake
State Park
Lake
State Park
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ashland State Park?
What time is golden hour at Ashland State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ashland State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ashland State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ashland State Park?
How far is Ashland State Park from Ashland?
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.