Heritage Hill State Historical Park — a state park in Brown County, Wisconsin — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.4 km (0.9 mi) WSW of Allouez.
Heritage Hill State Historical Park, is a 56-acre open-air museum located in Allouez, Wisconsin. A Wisconsin state park, the site is operated by a non-profit organization called the Heritage Hill Corporation in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The Heritage Hill Corporation operates, maintains and develops the park under terms of a lease with the DNR. The site contains 26 historical and reproduction structures, mostly endangered historic buildings moved from other locations plus a few modern reconstructions. The Park is divided into four main areas: The Fur Trade, representing the first contact and fur trade industry in Wisconsin; The Growing Community, representing Green Bay's beginnings as a burgeoning metropolis in the late 19th century; The Belgian Farmstead, a representation of immigrant farming communities in the early 20th century; and Fort...From the Wikipedia article “Heritage Hill State Historical Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Heritage Hill State Historical 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) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 55° NE | 8:41 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 123° ESE | 4:16 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:33 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:47 PM | 8h 51m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Heritage Hill State Historical 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 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:45 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:13 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:50 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:13 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 11:13 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:14 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: 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 ≈ 18.46 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 July as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 47 | 60 | 78 | 80 | 87 | 93 | 99 | 97 | 91 | 84 | 72 | 61 |
| Low °F | -40 | -26 | -20 | 5 | 26 | 36 | 46 | 42 | 31 | 21 | 1 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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 Heritage Hill State Historical Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Natural Arch
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Cave
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Heritage Hill State Historical Park?
What time is golden hour at Heritage Hill State Historical Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Heritage Hill State Historical Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Heritage Hill State Historical Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Heritage Hill State Historical Park?
How far is Heritage Hill State Historical Park from Allouez?
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.