Sign for Lake Logan State Park, Gateway to the Hocking Hills Region, Ohio.
  1. Home
  2. State Parks
  3. Ohio
  4. Hocking County
  5. Lake Logan State Park
39.5351° N82.4629° WBortle 4New York

Lake Logan State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Hocking County, Ohio

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Sixflashphoto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Lake Logan State Park is a state park in Hocking County, Ohio. The nearest town is Logan, about 4.8 km (3.0 mi) away (Lake Logan State Park lies W of town).

Lake Logan State Park is an Ohio state park in Hocking County, Ohio, United States. Lake Logan State Park is located in Falls Township, Hocking County, Ohio. Lake Logan Dam is directly accessible off State Route 664 just southwest of the county seat of Logan. Lake Logan State Park lies in the Hocking Valley, formed by the Hocking River. Lake Logan was created in 1955 with the construction of the Lake Logan Dam on Clear Fork Creek, a tributary of the Hocking River. Lake Logan is a 400-acre (160 ha) lake and is open to fishing, boating, ice fishing, ice boating and swimming.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Logan State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Logan
4.8 km (3.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
46% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:16 PM
sunset 6:52 PM

Light at Lake Logan State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:46 AM
Sunset
6:45 PM
Golden hour AM
7:29 AM – 8:22 AM
Golden hour PM
6:08 PM – 7:02 PM
Blue hour AM
7:18 AM – 7:29 AM
Blue hour PM
7:02 PM – 7:12 PM
Full darkness
8:15 PM – 6:17 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:57 PM / 1:46 AM
Day length
10h 59m
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 Lake Logan State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:34 AM90° E7:42 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:03 AM58° ENE9:01 PM302° WNW74°14h 58m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:18 AM89° E7:29 PM271° W51°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:48 AM120° ESE5:10 PM240° WSW27°9h 22m

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
January7:20 AM7:49 AM8:30 AM4:49 PM5:30 PM6:00 PM9h 41m
February6:56 AM7:23 AM8:01 AM5:29 PM6:07 PM6:34 PM10h 44m
March7:15 AM7:42 AM8:18 AM7:01 PM7:37 PM8:04 PM11h 55m
April6:25 AM6:53 AM7:29 AM7:32 PM8:08 PM8:36 PM13h 14m
May5:46 AM6:17 AM6:55 AM7:59 PM8:37 PM9:08 PM14h 21m
June5:30 AM6:03 AM6:43 AM8:19 PM9:00 PM9:32 PM14h 57m
July5:44 AM6:15 AM6:55 AM8:18 PM8:57 PM9:29 PM14h 42m
August6:14 AM6:43 AM7:20 AM7:51 PM8:27 PM8:56 PM13h 44m
September6:45 AM7:12 AM7:47 AM7:05 PM7:40 PM8:07 PM12h 29m
October7:13 AM7:40 AM8:17 AM6:16 PM6:52 PM7:19 PM11h 12m
November6:46 AM7:15 AM7:54 AM4:36 PM5:16 PM5:45 PM10h 01m
December7:14 AM7:44 AM8:27 AM4:25 PM5:08 PM5:38 PM9h 24m

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 Lake Logan State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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—-3°—
February5:37 AM – 5:47 AM0.212°SE → SE
March4:47 AM – 6:07 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:44 AM – 5:14 AM2.521°SE → S
May12:47 AM – 4:17 AM3.522°SE → S
June11:01 PM – 4:01 AM5.022°SE → SSW
July10:53 PM – 2:33 AM3.722°S → SW
August10:08 PM – 12:28 AM2.321°S → SW
September9:12 PM – 10:32 PM1.318°SSW → SW
October8:22 PM – 8:32 PM0.212°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
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 ≈ 20.67 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (78%). 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 °F7073818392991039998948069
Low °F-8-6621274050483826110
Precip. (in)2.62.93.43.94.14.13.82.93.13.22.93.1

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.
  • Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
  • 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 Lake Logan State Park, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Lake Logan 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 Lake Logan State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:16 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:52 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:17 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Logan State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Logan State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Logan 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 Lake Logan State Park from Logan?
About 4.8 km (3.0 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.