The green mass of Owl's Head in front of the peaks of the Franconia Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Photo taken from Bondcliff by Ken Gallager.
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44.1125° N71.5267° WBortle 3New York

Pemigewasset Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Grafton County, New Hampshire

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–305°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Ken Gallager at English Wikipedia · Public domain · source

Located in Grafton County, New Hampshire, Pemigewasset Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 15.0 km (9.3 mi) SSE of Deerfield.

The Pemigewasset Wilderness is a 45,000-acre (182 km2) federally designated Wilderness Area in the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountains. It is a part of the White Mountain National Forest. It is New Hampshire's largest wilderness area. The Wilderness Area consists of the upper watershed of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River, and includes the Franconia, Twin, Zealand, and Hancock mountain ranges, but excludes the summits of the ranges and the trail along them. As a result of the region's rugged character, the Pemigewasset Wilderness is a popular recreation area; its large trail network receives heavy use, in the form of hiking, cross-country skiing, and others, throughout the year.From the Wikipedia article “Pemigewasset Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Deerfield
15.0 km (9.3 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
56% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:24 PM
sunset 6:04 PM

Light at Pemigewasset Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
7:08 AM
Sunset
5:56 PM
Golden hour AM
6:50 AM – 7:47 AM
Golden hour PM
5:16 PM – 6:14 PM
Blue hour AM
6:38 AM – 6:50 AM
Blue hour PM
6:14 PM – 6:25 PM
Full darkness
7:32 PM – 5:32 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:21 PM / 12:50 AM
Day length
10h 48m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Pemigewasset Wilderness 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 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:50 AM90° E6:58 PM271° W46°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:04 AM56° NE8:34 PM305° NW69°15h 30m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:34 AM89° E6:46 PM271° W46°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:19 AM123° ESE4:11 PM237° WSW22°8h 52m

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

Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:47 AM7:19 AM8:04 AM3:48 PM4:34 PM5:06 PM9h 15m
February6:17 AM6:47 AM7:27 AM4:35 PM5:16 PM5:45 PM10h 29m
March6:31 AM6:59 AM7:38 AM6:14 PM6:52 PM7:21 PM11h 53m
April5:33 AM6:03 AM6:42 AM6:51 PM7:30 PM8:00 PM13h 27m
May4:47 AM5:21 AM6:02 AM7:24 PM8:06 PM8:39 PM14h 45m
June4:27 AM5:03 AM5:47 AM7:48 PM8:32 PM9:08 PM15h 29m
July4:42 AM5:17 AM6:00 AM7:45 PM8:28 PM9:03 PM15h 11m
August5:19 AM5:50 AM6:30 AM7:13 PM7:53 PM8:24 PM14h 02m
September5:57 AM6:26 AM7:04 AM6:21 PM6:59 PM7:28 PM12h 33m
October6:32 AM7:01 AM7:41 AM5:24 PM6:04 PM6:33 PM11h 03m
November6:11 AM6:42 AM7:26 AM3:37 PM4:21 PM4:52 PM9h 39m
December6:42 AM7:15 AM8:03 AM3:22 PM4:09 PM4:42 PM8h 54m

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 Pemigewasset Wilderness, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-5°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March4:39 AM – 5:19 AM0.714°SSE → SSE
April2:35 AM – 4:15 AM1.716°SSE → S
May12:40 AM – 3:10 AM2.517°SSE → S
June10:56 PM – 2:36 AM3.717°SSE → SSW
July10:42 PM – 1:12 AM2.517°S → SSW
August9:44 PM – 11:14 PM1.516°S → SSW
September8:37 PM – 9:07 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.61 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 56% 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F506070758387899283766555
Low °F-27-32-217243343412820-4-22
Precip. (in)2.63.03.03.84.25.34.54.33.65.03.73.9

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 wilderness area

  • Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
  • Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
  • Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
  • Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.

Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Permits, drones & access

Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 40 km of Pemigewasset Wilderness, closest first.

Waterfall
Franconia Falls4.2 km away · Grafton County · 474 m
Mount BondMountain Peak
Mount Bond4.5 km away · Grafton County · 1,431 m
Mount GuyotMountain Peak
Mount Guyot6.2 km away · Grafton County · 1,396 m
Mount CarrigainMountain Peak
Mount Carrigain6.7 km away · Grafton County · 1,432 m
Waterfall
Thoreau Falls7.4 km away · Grafton County · 692 m
Mount ZealandMountain Peak
Mount Zealand7.5 km away · Grafton County · 1,298 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Hancock Overlook7.9 km away · Grafton County · 650 m
Waterfall
Thirteen Falls8.0 km away · Grafton County · 663 m
Mount FlumeMountain Peak
Mount Flume8.1 km away · Grafton County · 1,319 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Pemigewasset Wilderness?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Pemigewasset Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:24 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:04 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:41 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Pemigewasset Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Pemigewasset Wilderness?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pemigewasset Wilderness?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Pemigewasset Wilderness from Deerfield?
About 15.0 km (9.3 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.