Located in Warren County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny Islands Wilderness is a wilderness area. It is part of Allegheny National Forest. The nearest town is Youngsville, about 11.2 km (7.0 mi) away (Allegheny Islands Wilderness lies S of town).
The Allegheny Islands Wilderness is located in the Allegheny National Forest. It comprises seven islands in the Allegheny River, totaling 368 acres (149 ha). All are alluvial origin. The islands are located between Buckaloons Recreation Area and Tionesta, Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Islands Wilderness was created by Congress in 1984 as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It is one of the smallest wilderness areas of the United States.From the Wikipedia article “Allegheny Islands Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Allegheny Islands Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 57° ENE | 8:56 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:42 AM | 122° ESE | 4:50 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Allegheny Islands Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:47 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:48 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:56 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:55 PM – 2:05 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:05 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.6 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 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 60 | 67 | 76 | 79 | 86 | 91 | 95 | 97 | 94 | 87 | 73 | 66 |
| Low °F | -13 | -13 | -2 | 16 | 23 | 36 | 44 | 44 | 36 | 22 | 2 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Allegheny Islands Wilderness, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
National ForestScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hearts Content Recreation Area7.8 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Buckaloons11.0 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Farnsworth Cabin13.3 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Minister Creek Campground And Trailhead19.7 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
- Kellettville Recreation Area (Pa)23 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Allegheny Islands Wilderness?
How far is Allegheny Islands Wilderness from Youngsville?
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.