Parker Dam State Park is a state park in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. It sits roughly 17.6 km (10.9 mi) E of Treasure Lake.
Parker Dam State Park is a 968-acre (392 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Huston Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Moshannon State Forest. Parker Dam State park is 17 miles (27 km) north of Clearfield on Pennsylvania Route 153 just off exit 111 of Interstate 80. The park was constructed during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps; they built many of the facilities that are in use today at Parker Dam State Park.From the Wikipedia article “Parker Dam State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Parker Dam 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) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 57° ENE | 8:51 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 121° ESE | 4:49 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 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 13m |
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 Parker Dam 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:31 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:43 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:58 PM – 3:28 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 11:59 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:06 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 ≈ 21.6 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 57% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 59 | 66 | 74 | 79 | 92 | 91 | 95 | 97 | 93 | 87 | 72 | 66 |
| Low °F | -14 | -15 | -6 | 15 | 23 | 36 | 44 | 43 | 34 | 21 | -5 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.2 |
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 Parker Dam State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Parker Dam State Park?
What time is golden hour at Parker Dam State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Parker Dam State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Parker Dam State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Parker Dam State Park?
How far is Parker Dam State Park from Treasure Lake?
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.