Various scenes at Molly Stark State Park at 705 VT-9 East in Wilmington, Vermont.
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42.8508° N72.8098° WBortle 4New York

Molly Stark State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Windham County, Vermont

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–304°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Artaxerxes · CC BY 4.0 · source

Molly Stark State Park is a state park in Windham County, Vermont. It sits roughly 10.3 km (6.4 mi) S of Dover.

Molly Stark State Park is a 148-acre state park in Wilmington, Vermont. The park is named for Molly Stark, the famous wife of General John Stark of the American Revolutionary War, and is located along the Molly Stark Byway. Activities includes camping, hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, wildlife watching, and winter sports. There is a loop hiking trail up to the fire lookout tower on Mt. Olga. Facilities include a 23 tent/RV sites and 11 lean-to sites, flush toilets, hot showers, a play area and large pavilion with electricity, 3 charcoal grills, and 10 picnic tables.From the Wikipedia article “Molly Stark State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Dover
10.3 km (6.4 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
51% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:32 PM
sunset 6:10 PM

Light at Molly Stark State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:11 AM
Sunset
6:02 PM
Golden hour AM
6:53 AM – 7:50 AM
Golden hour PM
5:23 PM – 6:20 PM
Blue hour AM
6:42 AM – 6:53 AM
Blue hour PM
6:20 PM – 6:31 PM
Full darkness
7:37 PM – 5:38 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:24 PM / 12:59 AM
Day length
10h 51m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Molly Stark State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:56 AM90° E7:04 PM271° W47°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:13 AM56° ENE8:34 PM304° NW71°15h 21m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:39 AM89° E6:50 PM271° W47°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:20 AM122° ESE4:21 PM238° WSW24°9h 01m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:49 AM7:20 AM8:04 AM3:58 PM4:42 PM5:14 PM9h 22m
February6:21 AM6:50 AM7:29 AM4:43 PM5:23 PM5:52 PM10h 33m
March6:36 AM7:04 AM7:42 AM6:20 PM6:58 PM7:26 PM11h 53m
April5:41 AM6:10 AM6:48 AM6:55 PM7:33 PM8:03 PM13h 23m
May4:57 AM5:29 AM6:10 AM7:27 PM8:08 PM8:40 PM14h 38m
June4:38 AM5:13 AM5:56 AM7:49 PM8:32 PM9:07 PM15h 19m
July4:53 AM5:27 AM6:09 AM7:47 PM8:29 PM9:03 PM15h 02m
August5:28 AM5:58 AM6:37 AM7:16 PM7:55 PM8:26 PM13h 57m
September6:03 AM6:32 AM7:09 AM6:26 PM7:03 PM7:32 PM12h 31m
October6:37 AM7:05 AM7:43 AM5:32 PM6:10 PM6:39 PM11h 05m
November6:14 AM6:44 AM7:26 AM3:47 PM4:29 PM5:00 PM9h 45m
December6:44 AM7:16 AM8:02 AM3:33 PM4:19 PM4:51 PM9h 03m

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 Molly Stark State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
March4:32 AM – 5:22 AM0.815°SSE → SSE
April2:35 AM – 4:25 AM1.818°SSE → S
May12:36 AM – 3:26 AM2.818°SSE → S
June10:48 PM – 2:48 AM4.018°SSE → SSW
July10:37 PM – 1:27 AM2.818°S → SSW
August9:43 PM – 11:33 PM1.818°S → SSW
September8:39 PM – 9:29 PM0.815°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.13 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F636774878790979996857267
Low °F-22-19-13122736484736182-13
Precip. (in)2.93.43.53.83.64.84.24.14.24.83.54.2

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

  • 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.
  • Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
  • Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Molly Stark State Park, closest first.

Williamsville Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Williamsville Covered Bridge14 km away · Windham County
Green River Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Green River Covered Bridge14 km away · Windham County
Mount SnowMountain Peak
Mount Snow15 km away · Windham County · 1,092 m
Creamery Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Creamery Covered Bridge18 km away · Windham County
West Dummerston Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
West Dummerston Covered Bridge19 km away · Windham County
Woodford State ParkState Park
Woodford State Park19 km away · Bennington County
Arthur A. Smith Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Arthur A. Smith Covered Bridge21 km away · Franklin County
Townshend State ParkState Park
Townshend State Park23 km away · Windham County
Scott Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Scott Covered Bridge24 km away · Windham County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Molly Stark State Park?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Molly Stark State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:32 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:10 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:43 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Molly Stark State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 122° in December; sunset ranges from 304° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Molly Stark State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Molly Stark State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Molly Stark State Park from Dover?
About 10.3 km (6.4 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.