Ouachita National Forest is a national forest in Polk County, Arkansas. The nearest town is Mena, about 9.6 km (6.0 mi) away (Ouachita National Forest lies S of town).
The Ouachita National Forest is a vast congressionally-designated National Forest that lies in the western portion of Arkansas and portions of extreme-eastern Oklahoma, USA.From the Wikipedia article “Ouachita National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ouachita National Forest 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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 61° ENE | 8:34 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 118° ESE | 5:11 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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:35 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 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 Ouachita National Forest, 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 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 | 4:55 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 5:07 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:31 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:17 PM – 4:17 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 2:53 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:48 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:50 PM | 2.0 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:07 PM – 8:47 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.68 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 | 73 | 76 | 81 | 88 | 97 | 107 | 107 | 112 | 104 | 92 | 83 | 76 |
| Low °F | 0 | 2 | 10 | 25 | 34 | 52 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 28 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
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 national forest
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Ouachita National Forest, closest first.
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Fire Lookout
Fire Lookout
State Park
State Park
Ghost Town
Mountain PassWilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ouachita National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Ouachita National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ouachita National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ouachita National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ouachita National Forest?
How far is Ouachita National Forest from Mena?
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.