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44.9857° N115.5979° W2,056 mBortle 1Boise

Rainbow Rock Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Valley County, Idaho · 2,056 m (6,745 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug

Rainbow Rock is a natural arch in Valley County, Idaho at about 2,056 m (6,745 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 40 km (25 mi) ENE of McCall.

Elevation
2,056 m
6,745 ft
Nearest town
McCall
40 km (25 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
July
30% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:19 PM
sunset 6:59 PM

Light at Rainbow Rock

Live
Sunrise
8:05 AM
Sunset
6:50 PM
Golden hour AM
7:47 AM – 8:46 AM
Golden hour PM
6:10 PM – 7:09 PM
Blue hour AM
7:35 AM – 7:47 AM
Blue hour PM
7:09 PM – 7:20 PM
Full darkness
8:28 PM – 6:29 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
4:22 PM / 1:52 AM
Day length
10h 45m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Boise. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Rainbow Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:46 AM90° E7:55 PM271° W45°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:56 AM55° NE9:33 PM305° NW68°15h 37m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:30 AM89° E7:42 PM271° W45°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:18 AM123° ESE5:04 PM237° WSW22°8h 46m

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

Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:45 AM8:18 AM9:04 AM4:41 PM5:27 PM6:00 PM9h 09m
February7:14 AM7:44 AM8:26 AM5:29 PM6:11 PM6:41 PM10h 26m
March7:26 AM7:56 AM8:35 AM7:10 PM7:49 PM8:18 PM11h 53m
April6:28 AM6:58 AM7:38 AM7:48 PM8:28 PM8:58 PM13h 29m
May5:40 AM6:14 AM6:57 AM8:23 PM9:05 PM9:39 PM14h 51m
June5:19 AM5:56 AM6:41 AM8:46 PM9:32 PM10:09 PM15h 36m
July5:35 AM6:11 AM6:55 AM8:43 PM9:27 PM10:03 PM15h 17m
August6:13 AM6:45 AM7:26 AM8:10 PM8:51 PM9:23 PM14h 06m
September6:52 AM7:22 AM8:01 AM7:16 PM7:55 PM8:25 PM12h 33m
October7:29 AM7:59 AM8:39 AM6:19 PM6:59 PM7:29 PM11h 00m
November7:09 AM7:41 AM8:25 AM4:30 PM5:15 PM5:47 PM9h 34m
December7:41 AM8:15 AM9:03 AM4:14 PM5:02 PM5:36 PM8h 48m

Local time (America/Boise), 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 Rainbow Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
March5:46 AM – 6:06 AM0.312°SSE → SSE
April3:45 AM – 5:05 AM1.315°SSE → S
May1:43 AM – 3:53 AM2.216°SSE → S
June12:04 AM – 3:14 AM3.216°SSE → SSW
July11:47 PM – 1:57 AM2.216°S → SSW
August10:45 PM – 11:55 PM1.215°SSW → SSW
September9:35 PM – 9:55 PM0.312°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-20°—

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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (70%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F354057698093959390816143
Low °F-23-22-15-113243128222-16-20
Precip. (in)3.73.23.72.82.31.80.50.61.22.23.54.9

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 natural arch

  • Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
  • Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
  • Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
  • At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.

Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Rainbow Rock, closest first.

Hot Spring
Buckhorn Hot Spring22 km away · Valley County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Rainbow Rock?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
What time is golden hour at Rainbow Rock?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:19 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:59 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:39 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Rainbow Rock?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 55° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Rainbow Rock?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rainbow Rock?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Rainbow Rock from McCall?
About 40 km (25 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.