Colt State Park — a state park in Bristol County, Rhode Island — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Bristol, about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) away (Colt State Park lies W of town).
Colt State Park is a public recreation area that occupies 464 acres (188 ha) on Poppasquash Neck in the town of Bristol, Rhode Island, once owned by industrialist Samuel P. Colt, nephew of firearms manufacturer Samuel Colt. The park is a major component of the Poppasquash Farms Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a stop on the East Bay Bike Path. The park includes trails, picnic groves, boat ramps, an observation tower, and an open air Chapel-by-the-Sea.From the Wikipedia article “Colt State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Colt 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) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 57° ENE | 8:24 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 121° ESE | 4:18 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
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 | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:37 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 11m |
| July | 4:51 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:16 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:16 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Colt State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:16 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 3:24 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 2:53 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 1:33 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 11:33 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.76 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 August as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (69%). August 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 | 58 | 54 | 67 | 82 | 82 | 90 | 96 | 92 | 89 | 81 | 72 | 65 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 9 | 24 | 36 | 44 | 54 | 55 | 47 | 31 | 17 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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 Colt State Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Beach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Colt State Park?
What time is golden hour at Colt State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Colt State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Colt State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Colt State Park?
How far is Colt State Park from Bristol?
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.