Aerial view from SSW of Lodi Point State Park a.k.a. Lodi Point Marine Park, Seneca County, New York.
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42.6183° N76.8769° WBortle 3New York

Lodi Point State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Seneca County, New York

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–304°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Joe Mabel (on Flickr as Joe Mabel from Seattle, US) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Lodi Point State Park is a state park in Seneca County, New York. It sits roughly 13.3 km (8.3 mi) NE of Dundee.

Lodi Point State Park (also known as Lodi Point Marine Park) is a 12-acre (4.9 ha) state park in New York State, United States. The park is in the Town of Lodi in Seneca County. Lodi Point state park is on the east shore of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The park is primarily a boating access point to Seneca Lake, lying west of the Village of Lodi. The park offers picnic tables, a playground with pavilions, a boat launch, and a marina.From the Wikipedia article “Lodi Point State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Dundee
13.3 km (8.3 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
55% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:48 PM
sunset 6:27 PM

Light at Lodi Point State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:27 AM
Sunset
6:19 PM
Golden hour AM
7:09 AM – 8:06 AM
Golden hour PM
5:40 PM – 6:36 PM
Blue hour AM
6:58 AM – 7:09 AM
Blue hour PM
6:36 PM – 6:48 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:54 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:41 PM / 1:15 AM
Day length
10h 52m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Lodi Point 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° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:12 AM90° E7:20 PM271° W47°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:31 AM57° ENE8:50 PM304° NW71°15h 19m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:55 AM89° E7:07 PM271° W48°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:35 AM122° ESE4:38 PM238° WSW24°9h 03m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:04 AM7:36 AM8:20 AM4:16 PM4:59 PM5:31 PM9h 24m
February6:37 AM7:06 AM7:45 AM5:00 PM5:40 PM6:09 PM10h 34m
March6:52 AM7:21 AM7:58 AM6:37 PM7:14 PM7:42 PM11h 54m
April5:58 AM6:27 AM7:05 AM7:11 PM7:49 PM8:19 PM13h 22m
May5:14 AM5:46 AM6:27 AM7:43 PM8:23 PM8:56 PM14h 37m
June4:55 AM5:30 AM6:13 AM8:05 PM8:48 PM9:23 PM15h 18m
July5:10 AM5:44 AM6:26 AM8:03 PM8:44 PM9:18 PM15h 01m
August5:44 AM6:15 AM6:54 AM7:32 PM8:11 PM8:41 PM13h 56m
September6:20 AM6:48 AM7:25 AM6:42 PM7:19 PM7:48 PM12h 31m
October6:53 AM7:21 AM7:59 AM5:48 PM6:27 PM6:55 PM11h 06m
November6:29 AM7:00 AM7:42 AM4:04 PM4:46 PM5:17 PM9h 47m
December6:59 AM7:31 AM8:17 AM3:50 PM4:36 PM5:08 PM9h 04m

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 Lodi Point 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
March4:49 AM – 5:39 AM0.815°SSE → SSE
April2:41 AM – 4:41 AM2.018°SE → S
May12:52 AM – 3:42 AM2.819°SSE → S
June11:03 PM – 3:13 AM4.219°SSE → SSW
July10:52 PM – 1:52 AM3.019°S → SSW
August9:59 PM – 11:49 PM1.818°S → SSW
September8:56 PM – 9:46 PM0.815°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.54 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6165738493941019593867266
Low °F-12-18-712253546463323-7-2
Precip. (in)2.42.62.93.53.64.44.24.24.14.23.03.1

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Lodi Point State Park, closest first.

Waterfall
Silver Thread Falls1.8 km away · Seneca County · 180 m
Seneca LakeLake
Seneca Lake4.5 km away · Seneca County
Scenic Viewpoint
Overlook Farms13 km away · Yates County · 271 m
Sampson State ParkState Park
Sampson State Park13 km away · Seneca County
Waterfall
Hosmer Falls13 km away · Seneca County · 152 m
Waterfall
Oak Tree Falls14 km away · Seneca County · 141 m
Waterfall
Glenora Falls15 km away · Yates County · 186 m
Cayuga LakeLake
Cayuga Lake16 km away · Cayuga County
Long Point State Park – Finger LakesState Park
Long Point State Park – Finger Lakes17 km away · Cayuga County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Lodi Point State Park?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Lodi Point State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:48 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:27 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:59 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Lodi Point State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 57° in June to 122° in December; sunset ranges from 304° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lodi Point State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lodi Point State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Lodi Point State Park from Dundee?
About 13.3 km (8.3 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.