City Of Rocks National Reserve is a National Reserve in Idaho. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 6 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in City Of Rocks
We matched 6 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to City Of Rocks. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Natural Arches (1)
Rock Formations (3)
State Parks (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At City Of Rocks 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 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:01 AM | 8:45 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:28 PM | 242° | 9h 27m |
| February | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:08 PM | 254° | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:48 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 284° | 13h 21m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:49 PM | 297° | 14h 34m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:13 PM | 303° | 15h 14m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:10 PM | 301° | 14h 57m |
| August | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:37 PM | 290° | 13h 54m |
| September | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:46 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:48 AM | 8:26 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:55 PM | 259° | 11h 07m |
| November | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:15 PM | 246° | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:57 AM | 8:42 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:05 PM | 239° | 9h 08m |
Computed for the park's reference point (42.0699, -113.7124); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From City Of Rocks, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 6:05 AM | 0.8 | 15° |
| April | 3:07 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 1:06 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| June | 11:25 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.3 | 19° |
| July | 11:15 PM – 2:25 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| August | 10:23 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.0 | 18° |
| September | 9:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.0 | 15° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
City of Rocks is located in south-central Idaho within the northern edge of the Basin and Range geologic province. Outdoor recreation can be pleasant from April through October. Summers are generally dry with 10 to 15 inches of precipitation in winter and spring. Summer temperatures range widely with night time lows occasionally approaching freezing and midday highs nearing 100° F; however, the typical range of low and high temperature is 45-85. Thunderstorms are common in the summer months (June - August)
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
From Boise: take I-84 East to exit 216 (Declo); go south on Highway 77 to Conner Creek Junction; turn right (west) on Highway 77 Spur to Almo. The visitor center and the park entrance are south of the post office and businesses. From Pocatello: take I-86 West to I-84 West to exit 216 and proceed as above. From Salt Lake City: take I-84 west to exit 245 (Sublette), turn left and go west to Malta. From Malta take Highway 77. Take Highway 77 Spur to Almo.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Ice Climbing
- Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
Nearby parks
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