DISMAL SWAMP CANAL, N.C. -- More than 325 people participated in the City of Chesapeake’s 9th Annual Paddle for the Border event Saturday, May 5, 2012. And what
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36.5128° N76.4164° WBortle 4New York

Dismal Swamp State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Camden County, North Carolina

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: November
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District from United States · Public domain · source

Dismal Swamp State Park is a state park in Camden County, North Carolina. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) W of Moyock.

Dismal Swamp State Park is a North Carolina state park in Camden County, North Carolina, in the United States. The park was created as a state natural area in 1974 with the help of The Nature Conservancy, and on July 28, 2007, the North Carolina General Assembly re-designated it as a state park. It opened to the public in 2008. This marked the first time that public access to Great Dismal Swamp was made possible in North Carolina. The park covers 14,432 acres (58.40 km2) of protected land on the North Carolina/Virginia border. Park offices are 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the border on U.S. Route 17 near South Mills. Features of the park include the canal which is used regularly by boaters using the Intracoastal Waterway and several miles of hiking and biking trails.From the Wikipedia article “Dismal Swamp State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Moyock
21 km (13 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
November
47% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:56 PM
sunset 6:31 PM

Light at Dismal Swamp State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:18 AM
Sunset
6:24 PM
Golden hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:53 AM
Golden hour PM
5:49 PM – 6:40 PM
Blue hour AM
6:52 AM – 7:02 AM
Blue hour PM
6:40 PM – 6:50 PM
Full darkness
7:50 PM – 5:53 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:28 PM / 1:27 AM
Day length
11h 06m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
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 Dismal Swamp State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:10 AM90° E7:18 PM271° W53°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:49 AM60° ENE8:28 PM301° WNW77°14h 39m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:54 AM89° E7:04 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:15 AM119° ESE4:54 PM241° WSW30°9h 40m

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
January6:49 AM7:17 AM7:56 AM4:35 PM5:14 PM5:42 PM9h 56m
February6:28 AM6:55 AM7:30 AM5:11 PM5:47 PM6:13 PM10h 52m
March6:52 AM7:18 AM7:52 AM6:39 PM7:13 PM7:39 PM11h 56m
April6:06 AM6:33 AM7:07 AM7:05 PM7:40 PM8:07 PM13h 07m
May5:31 AM6:00 AM6:36 AM7:29 PM8:06 PM8:35 PM14h 06m
June5:17 AM5:48 AM6:26 AM7:48 PM8:26 PM8:57 PM14h 38m
July5:30 AM6:00 AM6:37 AM7:47 PM8:25 PM8:54 PM14h 25m
August5:57 AM6:24 AM6:59 AM7:23 PM7:58 PM8:26 PM13h 34m
September6:23 AM6:49 AM7:23 AM6:41 PM7:15 PM7:41 PM12h 26m
October6:47 AM7:13 AM7:48 AM5:56 PM6:31 PM6:57 PM11h 17m
November6:17 AM6:44 AM7:22 AM4:21 PM4:58 PM5:26 PM10h 14m
December6:42 AM7:11 AM7:51 AM4:12 PM4:52 PM5:21 PM9h 41m

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 Dismal Swamp State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:54 AM – 5:24 AM0.514°SE → SE
March4:10 AM – 5:50 AM1.721°SE → SSE
April2:01 AM – 4:51 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:08 AM – 4:08 AM4.025°SE → SSW
June10:17 PM – 3:47 AM5.525°SE → SW
July10:12 PM – 2:32 AM4.325°SSE → SW
August9:34 PM – 12:24 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:42 PM – 10:22 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October7:57 PM – 8:27 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.87 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 °F71748085959910110196947975
Low °F11619294153615952382519
Precip. (in)2.83.13.43.53.84.55.15.45.43.63.23.5

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

  • 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.
  • Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
  • Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Dismal Swamp State Park, closest first.

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge8.4 km away · City of Chesapeake
Lake DrummondLake
Lake Drummond11 km away · City of Chesapeake · 5 m
Merchants Millpond State ParkState Park
Merchants Millpond State Park25 km away · Gates County
Chesapeake ArboretumBotanical Garden
Chesapeake Arboretum30 km away · City of Chesapeake
Nansemond National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Nansemond National Wildlife Refuge36 km away · City of Suffolk

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Dismal Swamp State Park?
November 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 Dismal Swamp State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:56 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:31 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:48 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Dismal Swamp State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Dismal Swamp State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dismal Swamp 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 Dismal Swamp State Park from Moyock?
About 21 km (13 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.