Located in New York County, New York, Riverbank State Park is a state park. It lies in or next to Hamilton Grange National Memorial, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Edgewater, about 1.6 km (1.0 mi) away (Riverbank State Park lies E of town).
Riverbank State Park is a 28-acre (11 ha) state park built on top of a sewage treatment facility on the Hudson River, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It was opened in 1993. On September 5, 2017, it was renamed Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, after longtime New York State Assembly member Denny Farrell who represented the surrounding area.From the Wikipedia article “Riverbank State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Riverbank 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 58° ENE | 8:32 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 121° ESE | 4:32 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 16m |
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 Riverbank State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 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 9 (inner-city 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 | 5:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:39 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:16 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 7:48 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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.44 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 48% 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 | 60 | 58 | 63 | 77 | 80 | 87 | 94 | 90 | 86 | 84 | 69 | 64 |
| Low °F | 8 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 37 | 49 | 59 | 60 | 51 | 38 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Riverbank State Park, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Lighthouse
Lake
Lake
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway- Brooklyn Ny26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Riverbank State Park?
What time is golden hour at Riverbank State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Riverbank State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Riverbank State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Riverbank State Park?
How far is Riverbank State Park from Edgewater?
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.