Located in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, Maurice K. Goddard State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Stoneboro, about 10.5 km (6.5 mi) away (Maurice K. Goddard State Park lies NNW of town).
Maurice K. Goddard State Park is a 2,856-acre (1,156 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Deer Creek, Mill Creek, New Vernon and Sandy Lake Townships, Mercer County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It features wildlife, waterways and public recreational facilities. Lake Wilhelm shares its shorelines with Maurice K. Goddard State Park and State Game Land No. 270. The dam, built in 1971, creates a 1,860-acre (750 ha) reservoir providing a resource for people and wildlife. Many species of fish and amphibians make Lake Wilhelm their home. A variety of outdoor activities are available in and around the park vicinity. Special events and programs are held throughout the summer months. Maurice K. Goddard State Park is just off exit 130 of Interstate 79 on Pennsylvania Route 358. The park is one of five Pennsylvania State Parks that were in the path of totality for the April 2024 total solar...From the Wikipedia article “Maurice K. Goddard State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Maurice K. Goddard 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) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 57° ENE | 8:58 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 121° ESE | 4:55 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 10m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 12m |
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 Maurice K. Goddard 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:50 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 3:37 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 8:14 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.39 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 56% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (85%). 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 | 64 | 68 | 79 | 82 | 96 | 98 | 100 | 99 | 96 | 89 | 76 | 67 |
| Low °F | -11 | -12 | 0 | 17 | 25 | 38 | 46 | 46 | 38 | 27 | 7 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Maurice K. Goddard State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Lake
National Wildlife Refuge
State ParkWaterfall
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Shenango Lake Shenango Lakeside Picnic Shelter28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Shenango Lake Clark Picnic Shelter28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Shenango Rec Area Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Woodcock Lake Park29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Woodcock Creek Lake Park & Campground30 km (18 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Maurice K. Goddard State Park?
What time is golden hour at Maurice K. Goddard State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Maurice K. Goddard State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Maurice K. Goddard State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Maurice K. Goddard State Park?
How far is Maurice K. Goddard State Park from Stoneboro?
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.