Hopkinton State Park — a state park in Worcester County, Massachusetts — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) S of Cordaville.
Hopkinton State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in the towns of Hopkinton and Ashland and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The park was created in 1947 after the Hopkinton Reservoir was removed from service as a water source for the Greater Boston area. The park's dam and spillway were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. In 2010, it was named as one of the 1,000 places to visit by the Great Places in Massachusetts Commission.From the Wikipedia article “Hopkinton State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hopkinton 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) | 5:11 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 | 4:18 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 | 7:57 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:37 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:35 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:24 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 | 5:59 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 48m |
| 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 Hopkinton 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 ≈ 18.89 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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Hopkinton State Park, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Lake
State Park
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hopkinton State Park?
What time is golden hour at Hopkinton State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hopkinton State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hopkinton State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hopkinton State Park?
How far is Hopkinton State Park from Cordaville?
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.