Located in Belknap County, New Hampshire, Endicott Rock is a state park. It sits roughly 6.9 km (4.3 mi) SSE of Meredith. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Endicott Rock is a state park located on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee in the Weirs Beach village of Laconia, New Hampshire. Its principal attraction is a large rock originally in the lake that was incised with lettering in 1652 by surveyors for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The rock provides definitive evidence of one of the earliest incursions of Europeans into the area.From the Wikipedia article “Endicott Rock”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Endicott Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 56° NE | 8:31 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 123° ESE | 4:13 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 4:29 AM | 5:05 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:05 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:01 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:43 PM | 8h 58m |
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 Endicott Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:38 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:13 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 3:16 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:50 PM – 2:40 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 1:18 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 11:22 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:36 PM – 9:16 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.72 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 (68%). 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 | 59 | 65 | 74 | 82 | 84 | 94 | 105 | 94 | 93 | 79 | 70 | 62 |
| Low °F | -23 | -23 | -19 | 13 | 28 | 37 | 49 | 44 | 35 | 20 | -3 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
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 Endicott Rock, closest first.
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Mountain Peak
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Mountain Peak
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Mountain PeakFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Endicott Rock?
What time is golden hour at Endicott Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Endicott Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Endicott Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Endicott Rock?
How far is Endicott Rock from Meredith?
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.