Ash Cave Natural Arch — a natural arch in Barry County, Missouri at about 385 m (1,263 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Cassville, about 5.9 km (3.7 mi) away (Ash Cave Natural Arch lies NNE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ash Cave Natural Arch 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 | 8:38 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 119° ESE | 5:04 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:20 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 | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 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 | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 40m |
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 Ash Cave Natural Arch, 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 24° 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 | 2:11 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:58 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:32 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:33 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:32 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 ≈ 21.36 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 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 Ash Cave Natural Arch, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Big M24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Eagle Rock25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Shell Knob Rec Site Pavilion26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Cape Fair28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Viola29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ash Cave Natural Arch?
What time is golden hour at Ash Cave Natural Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ash Cave Natural Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ash Cave Natural Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ash Cave Natural Arch?
How far is Ash Cave Natural Arch from Cassville?
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.