Cole Run Falls is a waterfall in Somerset County, Pennsylvania at about 664 m (2,178 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Milford, about 15.5 km (9.6 mi) away (Cole Run Falls lies W of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cole Run 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 58° ENE | 8:50 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 121° ESE | 4:56 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Cole Run Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:51 PM – 3:41 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:13 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.41 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 54% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 66 | 70 | 77 | 85 | 87 | 90 | 97 | 94 | 93 | 89 | 74 | 72 |
| Low °F | -10 | -7 | -8 | 19 | 23 | 36 | 45 | 44 | 34 | 20 | 6 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
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
- 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.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Cole Run Falls, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
State Park
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
State Park
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Outflow Camping19.8 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
- Youghiogheny Recreation Area 21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Somerfield North Recreation Area26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Mill Run Recreation Area30 km (19 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cole Run Falls?
What time is golden hour at Cole Run Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cole Run Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cole Run Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cole Run Falls?
How far is Cole Run Falls from Milford?
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.