Varden Conservation Area is a state park in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. It sits roughly 7.3 km (4.5 mi) NNW of The Hideout.
Varden Conservation Area is a Pennsylvania state park on 444 acres (180 ha) in Lake and South Canaan Townships, Wayne County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The conservation area is currently under development. The land was donated to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in December 2001 by Dr. Mead Shaffer a veterinarian and resident of Boothwyn, Pennsylvania in Delaware County. Dr. Shaffer stated his reason for donating the land, "Environmental education always has been a primary concern of mine. I trust this land will allow present and future generations to observe and study the diverse ecology found in the Varden Conservation Area." Varden Conservation Area is near the unincorporated village of Varden on Pennsylvania Route 296, east of the Lackawanna County line.From the Wikipedia article “Varden Conservation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Varden Conservation Area 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) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:29 AM | 57° ENE | 8:40 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 121° ESE | 4:35 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 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 30m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:12 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:05 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 Varden Conservation Area, 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 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 | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:32 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:40 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 3:18 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 1:48 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 9:48 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 7:55 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: 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 ≈ 20.51 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 (76%). 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 | 62 | 69 | 71 | 84 | 85 | 89 | 97 | 98 | 93 | 85 | 74 | 66 |
| Low °F | -15 | -20 | -5 | 17 | 26 | 35 | 44 | 44 | 34 | 20 | 4 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 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
- 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 Varden Conservation Area, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
State ParkWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
State ParkWaterfall
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Varden Conservation Area?
What time is golden hour at Varden Conservation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Varden Conservation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Varden Conservation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Varden Conservation Area?
How far is Varden Conservation Area from The Hideout?
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.