Garvan Woodland Gardens — a botanical garden in Garland County, Arkansas — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Hot Springs National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 4.5 km (2.8 mi) ENE of Lake Hamilton.
Garvan Woodland Gardens is a 210-acre (85 ha) botanical garden and woodland garden located at 550 Arkridge Road, approximately 6 miles from Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States. Owned by the University of Arkansas, it has the stated mission of education, research and public service. For an admission fee, it is open daily, except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and the month of January. Garvan Woodland Gardens is situated on a woodland peninsula with 4.5 miles (7 km) of shoreline on Lake Hamilton. It features rocky inclines reminiscent of the surrounding Ouachita Mountains, floral landscapes, streams, and waterfalls in a natural woodland setting, plus the fifth-ranked Garden of the Pine Wind Japanese Garden with Japanese maples and tree peonies, a conifer border, and various flower and rock gardens. Its collections display hundreds of rare shrubs and...From the Wikipedia article “Garvan Woodland Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Garvan Woodland Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 61° ENE | 8:29 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 118° ESE | 5:07 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 52m |
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 Garvan Woodland Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 5:02 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 4:26 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:12 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:48 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 12:43 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:45 PM | 2.0 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.58 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 | 75 | 81 | 88 | 96 | 108 | 108 | 113 | 105 | 94 | 85 | 75 |
| Low °F | -1 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 34 | 53 | 55 | 53 | 44 | 29 | 18 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
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
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Garvan Woodland Gardens, closest first.
Rock Formation
State Park
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gulpha Gorge Campground9.9 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Avery20.0 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Stephens Park20 km (12 mi) · reservable
- Stephens Park Day-Use20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Spillway (Lake Ouachita)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Garvan Woodland Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Garvan Woodland Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Garvan Woodland Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Garvan Woodland Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Garvan Woodland Gardens?
How far is Garvan Woodland Gardens from Lake Hamilton?
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.