Catharine Valley Trail — a state park in Chemung County, New York — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 6.8 km (4.2 mi) S of Montour Falls.
Catharine Valley Trail is a state park and recreation trail located in Schuyler and Chemung counties, New York. The park is located near Watkins Glen State Park and maintained by its staff, as well as by volunteers.From the Wikipedia article “Catharine Valley Trail”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Catharine Valley Trail 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) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 57° ENE | 8:48 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 122° ESE | 4:39 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 | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:15 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:08 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 Catharine Valley Trail, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:40 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 3:39 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:59 PM – 3:09 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:49 PM – 1:49 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 11:47 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 9:44 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.28 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 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 61 | 65 | 73 | 84 | 93 | 94 | 101 | 95 | 93 | 86 | 72 | 66 |
| Low °F | -12 | -18 | -7 | 12 | 25 | 35 | 46 | 46 | 33 | 23 | -7 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 3.1 |
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.
- 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 Catharine Valley Trail, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
State ParkWaterfall
Covered Bridge
LakeWaterfall
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blueberry Patch Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Blueberry Patch Campground22 km (14 mi)
- Backbone Horse Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Potomac Group Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Catharine Valley Trail?
What time is golden hour at Catharine Valley Trail?
Where does the sun rise and set at Catharine Valley Trail?
Can you see the Milky Way from Catharine Valley Trail?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Catharine Valley Trail?
How far is Catharine Valley Trail from Montour Falls?
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.