Caledonia State Park is a state park in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. It sits roughly 5.7 km (3.5 mi) E of Fayetteville.
Caledonia State Park is a 1,125-acre (455 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Greene Township, Franklin County and Franklin Township, Adams County in southern Pennsylvania. It is named for the Caledonia Furnace, an iron furnace that was owned by Thaddeus Stevens beginning in 1837. The park is known for its recreational activities and the Totem Pole Playhouse, a summer stock theater.From the Wikipedia article “Caledonia State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Caledonia 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 58° ENE | 8:43 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 121° ESE | 4:49 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Caledonia State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.77 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 68 | 76 | 78 | 89 | 91 | 98 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 78 | 72 |
| Low °F | -3 | -10 | -5 | 22 | 29 | 42 | 52 | 52 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Caledonia State Park, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
Covered Bridge
Mountain Pass
State Park
Lake
Covered Bridge
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Historic Bushman House (Gettysburg)24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Slyder Farmhouse24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Owens Creek Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Poplar Grove Youth Group Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Adirondack Shelters30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Caledonia State Park?
What time is golden hour at Caledonia State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Caledonia State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Caledonia State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Caledonia State Park?
How far is Caledonia State Park from Fayetteville?
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.