Blue Springs Heritage Center is a botanical garden in Carroll County, Arkansas. The nearest town is Holiday Island, about 7.5 km (4.7 mi) away (Blue Springs Heritage Center lies WSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Blue Spring Heritage Center (formerly known as Eureka Springs Gardens) is a 33-acre (13 ha) privately owned tourist attraction in the Arkansas Heritage Trails System containing native plants and hardwood trees in a setting of woodlands, meadows, and hillsides. It is located at Highway 62 West, five miles (8 km) west of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and open daily to the public during warmer months for a fee. The spring pours 38 million US gallons (140,000 m³) of water daily into the trout-filled lagoon. Blue Spring has been a tourist attraction since 1948, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places for its archaeological significance as a site occupied between the Early Archaic and the Mississippian periods. Historians from several Indian nations, including the Tsalagi (Cherokee), Osage and Quapaw, say their people have been making journeys to, and living intermittently at...From the Wikipedia article “Blue Spring Heritage Center”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Blue Springs Heritage Center the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 60° ENE | 8:37 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 119° ESE | 5:04 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 41m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Blue Springs Heritage Center, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:17 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:26 PM – 3:56 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:41 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:32 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:31 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:36 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| 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 ≈ 21.51 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 72 | 76 | 83 | 92 | 94 | 107 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 90 | 81 | 73 |
| Low °F | -5 | -5 | 5 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 53 | 50 | 40 | 24 | 11 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
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 botanical garden
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Blue Springs Heritage Center, closest first.
Ghost Town
Cave
State Park
Natural ArchGhost Town
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dam Site River (Beaver Lake)5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Dam Site Lake Campground6.4 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Campground (Ar)8.6 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Lost Bridge North9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Eagle Rock10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blue Springs Heritage Center?
What time is golden hour at Blue Springs Heritage Center?
Where does the sun rise and set at Blue Springs Heritage Center?
Can you see the Milky Way from Blue Springs Heritage Center?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Blue Springs Heritage Center?
How far is Blue Springs Heritage Center from Holiday Island?
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.