Swartswood State Park is a state park in Sussex County, New Jersey. The nearest town is Newton, about 5.8 km (3.6 mi) away (Swartswood State Park lies WNW of town).
Swartswood State Park is a 3,460-acre (14.0 km2) protected area located in the Swartswood section of Stillwater and Hampton townships in Sussex County, New Jersey, in the United States. Established in 1915 by the state's Forest Park Reservation Commission, it was the first state park established by the state of New Jersey for the purposes of recreation at the state's third-largest freshwater lake. Today, Swartswood State Park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.From the Wikipedia article “Swartswood State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Swartswood State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 57° ENE | 8:36 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 121° ESE | 4:35 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 13m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 33m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:11 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 07m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 51m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 14m |
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 Swartswood State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:37 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 3:44 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:11 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 1:52 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 11:53 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:54 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 7:51 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.69 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 90 | 88 | 94 | 99 | 101 | 95 | 88 | 76 | 67 |
| Low °F | -14 | -19 | -8 | 18 | 28 | 37 | 47 | 48 | 37 | 21 | 5 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
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 Swartswood State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Fire Lookout
Lake
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Rivers Bend Group Campground12.6 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- Valley View Group Campground13.1 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Alosa Campsites13.3 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Worthington State Forest Campground23 km (14 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Swartswood State Park?
What time is golden hour at Swartswood State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Swartswood State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Swartswood State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Swartswood State Park?
How far is Swartswood State Park from Newton?
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.