Located in Lamoille County, Vermont, Green River Reservoir State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 8.8 km (5.5 mi) NE of Morrisville.
Green River Reservoir State Park is a 5,500 acres (2,227 hectares) state park in Hyde Park, Vermont, on the shore of 653-acre Green River Reservoir (264 ha). Activities includes camping, swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking (at designated day-use-sites, access by boat only), wildlife watching. Day use is allowed in limited capacity. Only boats powered by electric motors up to 5 mph and human-powered watercraft are allowed. The park features 28 remote campsites around the reservoir, which can be reached only by boat. The park is undeveloped, with only low-impact recreational use allowed on and around the reservoir. Parking is limited.From the Wikipedia article “Green River Reservoir State Park (Vermont)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Green River Reservoir State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:06 AM | 55° NE | 8:40 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 123° ESE | 4:13 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:36 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:28 AM | 5:05 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:45 PM | 8h 50m |
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 Green River Reservoir State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:43 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 4:11 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:47 AM – 3:07 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 2:35 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:51 PM – 1:11 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 11:11 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:12 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 57% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 55 | 65 | 72 | 79 | 84 | 88 | 102 | 87 | 89 | 76 | 66 | 62 |
| Low °F | -31 | -31 | -23 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 43 | 41 | 28 | 20 | -1 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
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.
- 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 Green River Reservoir State Park, closest first.
State Park
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Green River Reservoir State Park?
What time is golden hour at Green River Reservoir State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Green River Reservoir State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Green River Reservoir State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Green River Reservoir State Park?
How far is Green River Reservoir State Park from Morrisville?
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.