Located in Lorain County, Ohio, Findley State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 4.4 km (2.7 mi) S of Wellington.
Findley State Park is an Ohio state park located in Wellington, a small village in northern Ohio, United States. It was originally known as the Findley State Forest. A dam forming a lake was completed in 1956. The forest area became a state park in 1950, with a size of 838 acres (339 ha), after it was donated to Lorain County by Judge Guy B. Findley c. 1936. Findley later served as the president of the Ohio Forestry Association and vice president of the American Forestry Association.From the Wikipedia article “Findley State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Findley 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) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 57° ENE | 9:06 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 121° ESE | 5:04 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 07m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:34 PM | 14h 51m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:33 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 Findley 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 | 5:46 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:58 AM – 6:08 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:58 AM – 5:08 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:55 AM – 4:15 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:13 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:03 PM – 2:23 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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 ≈ 20.47 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 62% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 56 | 59 | 71 | 69 | 83 | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88 | 82 | 70 | 60 |
| Low °F | -9 | -3 | 2 | 25 | 32 | 44 | 53 | 56 | 45 | 37 | 18 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.5 |
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
- 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 Findley State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
Beach
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Findley State Park?
What time is golden hour at Findley State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Findley State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Findley State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Findley State Park?
How far is Findley State Park from Wellington?
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.