Chief Logan State Park is a state park in Logan County, West Virginia. It sits roughly 5.5 km (3.4 mi) NNW of Logan.
Chief Logan State Park is located on 3,988 acres (1,614 ha) about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Logan in Logan County, West Virginia, United States. The park, the town and the county were all named after Chief Logan, a Mingo (or Ohio Iroquois) Native American leader who lived in the region before the American Revolutionary War. Each summer the Liz Spurlock Amphitheater at Chief Logan State Park is the site for outdoor dramas, including the historical drama "The Aracoma Story" about Shawnee tribal members who lived at the present-day location of the town of Logan. The outdoor drama theater produces the Aracoma story and two to three other plays or musicals every year. The new Chief Logan Lodge and Conference Center opened at the park during the summer of 2006. There is also a fishing pond on site and a recreation center that has weights, exercise machines, courts and an Olympic sized...From the Wikipedia article “Chief Logan State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chief Logan State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:07 AM | 59° ENE | 8:54 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 120° ESE | 5:13 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:02 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:35 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Chief Logan State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 6:03 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 5:17 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:37 AM – 4:27 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:42 PM – 2:42 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 12:41 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 10:37 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:39 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.75 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 71 | 74 | 82 | 85 | 96 | 104 | 103 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 83 | 78 |
| Low °F | -2 | -4 | 4 | 21 | 31 | 40 | 51 | 47 | 38 | 25 | 11 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.7 |
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.
- 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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chief Logan State Park?
What time is golden hour at Chief Logan State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chief Logan State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chief Logan State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chief Logan State Park?
How far is Chief Logan State Park from Logan?
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.