Charles River Reservation is a state park in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. It lies in or next to John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Allston, about 800 m away (Charles River Reservation lies SE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Charles River Reservation is a 17-mile-long (27 km) urban preserve and public recreation area located along the banks of the Charles River in Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, and Newton, Massachusetts. The reservation is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The portion of the reservation between the Charles River Dam and the Eliot Bridge is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. This includes the park in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston known as the Esplanade. The Charles River above the Watertown Dam is managed as the Upper Charles River Reservation.From the Wikipedia article “Charles River Reservation”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Charles River Reservation 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 238° (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) | 6:49 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:09 AM | 57° ENE | 8:26 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 122° ESE | 4:16 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 04m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:35 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:33 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:32 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:18 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:45 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Charles River Reservation, 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 9 (inner-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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:16 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 3:16 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 2:46 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 1:26 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 11:24 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 9:21 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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.52 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.
- 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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Charles River Reservation, closest first.
Beach
Lake
State Park
State Park
Botanical Garden
State Park
Lake
Lake
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Charles River Reservation?
What time is golden hour at Charles River Reservation?
Where does the sun rise and set at Charles River Reservation?
Can you see the Milky Way from Charles River Reservation?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Charles River Reservation?
How far is Charles River Reservation from Allston?
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.