Located in Passaic County, New Jersey, Great Falls is a waterfall. It lies in or next to Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 800 m W of Paterson.
The Great Falls of the Passaic River is a 77-foot-high (23 m) waterfall on the Passaic River in the city of Paterson in Passaic County, New Jersey. One of the United States' largest waterfalls, it played a significant role in the early industrial development of New Jersey starting in the earliest days of the nation. The falls and surrounding area are protected as part of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, administered by the National Park Service. Congress authorized its establishment in 2009. In 1967 it was designated a National Natural Landmark together with Garret Mountain Reservation. The falls and the surrounding neighborhood have also been designated as a National Historic Landmark District since 1976. The Great Falls' raceway and power systems were designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Mechanical Engineering...From the Wikipedia article “Great Falls (Passaic River)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Great Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 58° ENE | 8:33 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 121° ESE | 4:32 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 28m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 06m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 50m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:26 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 15m |
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 Great Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 9 (inner-city 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:35 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 3:42 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:09 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 1:50 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 11:51 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:52 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 7:49 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.84 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 (64%). 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 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Great Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
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CanyonWaterfall
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Great Falls?
What time is golden hour at Great Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Great Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Great Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Great Falls?
How far is Great Falls from Paterson?
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.