American Falls is a waterfall in Niagara County, New York at about 154 m (505 ft) above sea level. It is part of Niagara Falls State Park. It sits roughly 1.5 km (0.9 mi) SW of Niagara Falls. Its recorded drop is about 110 m (361 ft).
The American Falls is the second largest of the three waterfalls that together are known as Niagara Falls on the Niagara River along the Canada–United States border. Unlike the much larger Horseshoe Falls, of which approximately 90% is in Ontario, Canada, and 10% in the U.S. state of New York, the American Falls is entirely within the United States.From the Wikipedia article “American Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At American Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) 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 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 56° NE | 9:00 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 122° ESE | 4:45 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 59m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 21m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 21m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 04m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 58m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:28 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 01m |
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 American Falls, 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 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 4:41 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:03 AM – 3:43 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:04 PM – 1:54 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:09 PM – 11:49 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:55 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.69 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 60% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 53 | 52 | 68 | 66 | 83 | 87 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 78 | 65 | 55 |
| Low °F | -3 | -9 | -7 | 14 | 31 | 40 | 46 | 52 | 41 | 30 | 19 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
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.
- 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.
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 25 km of American Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Cave
State Park
Waterfall
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Canyon
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph American Falls?
What time is golden hour at American Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at American Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from American Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at American Falls?
How far is American Falls from Niagara Falls?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.