Mallison Falls — a waterfall in Cumberland County, Maine — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is South Windham, about 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away (Mallison Falls lies SSE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mallison Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:46 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:01 AM | 56° NE | 8:28 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:29 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 123° ESE | 4:08 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 55m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 4:44 AM | 5:17 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:00 AM | 5:44 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 26m |
| July | 4:39 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:57 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:19 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:20 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:49 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:06 PM | 4:39 PM | 8h 57m |
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 Mallison Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 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 5 (suburban sky), 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 4:10 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 3:04 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 2:29 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 1:16 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:09 PM | 1.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:33 PM – 9:13 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.12 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 50% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 73 | 85 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 95 | 94 | 79 | 68 | 62 |
| Low °F | -11 | -12 | -6 | 18 | 31 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 39 | 25 | 8 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
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 waterfall
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Mallison Falls, closest first.
Covered Bridge
WaterfallWaterfall
Covered BridgeWaterfallWaterfall
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mallison Falls?
What time is golden hour at Mallison Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mallison Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mallison Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mallison Falls?
How far is Mallison Falls from South Windham?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.