Scudders Falls — a waterfall in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Yardley, about 2.4 km (1.5 mi) away (Scudders Falls lies NNW of town).
Scudders Falls is an area of whitewater rapids on the Delaware River between Ewing, New Jersey and Lower Makefield, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is popular with local whitewater enthusiasts.From the Wikipedia article “Scudders Falls (Delaware River)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Scudders 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 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 58° ENE | 8:33 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 121° ESE | 4:37 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 24m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:05 PM | 15h 02m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 19m |
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 Scudders 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 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:35 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:50 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:00 AM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:52 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:01 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: 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 ≈ 18.87 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 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
- 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 Scudders Falls, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
State Park
Botanical Garden
State Park
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Scudders Falls?
What time is golden hour at Scudders Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Scudders Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Scudders Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Scudders Falls?
How far is Scudders Falls from Yardley?
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.