Rancocas State Park is a state park in Burlington County, New Jersey. The nearest town is Willingboro, about 3.8 km (2.4 mi) away (Rancocas State Park lies SE of town).
Rancocas State Park is a 1,252 acres (5.07 km2) protected area designated as a state park with sections located within Mount Laurel, Hainesport and Westampton townships in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. Established in 1965, it is overseen and operated by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. The park is located near the confluence of the South and North branches of the Rancocas Creek and an extensive freshwater tidal marsh.From the Wikipedia article “Rancocas State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rancocas State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 58° ENE | 8:32 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 121° ESE | 4:38 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 19m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Rancocas State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | 5:06 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:14 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 3:48 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:23 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 1:55 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:59 PM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:52 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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: 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 ≈ 18.61 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 December 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 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Rancocas State Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
Ghost Town
State Park
National Forest
Waterfall
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rancocas State Park?
What time is golden hour at Rancocas State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rancocas State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rancocas State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rancocas State Park?
How far is Rancocas State Park from Willingboro?
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.