Located in Pulaski County, Arkansas, The Little Rock is a rock formation. The nearest town is Shannon Hills, about 7.4 km (4.6 mi) away (The Little Rock lies N of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The "Little Rock" is the eponym of Little Rock, Arkansas. It is a now-reduced stone outcrop, projecting into the Arkansas River from its south bank, in the city's waterfront area, adjacent to the Junction Bridge, whose foundations include a portion of the rock. A portion of the rock outcrop has had a bronze plaque mounted on it. The rock, originally estimated to rise about 18 feet (5.5 m) above the river, was first identified as a significant river landmark in 1722 by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe. In 1818 the rock was used as a survey marker, and formed the starting point for land surveys in the region south of the river. The Little Rock was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.From the Wikipedia article “The Little Rock”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Little Rock 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) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 61° ENE | 8:27 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 118° ESE | 5:03 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 51m |
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 The Little Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:48 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 5:52 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:01 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:25 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:02 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:37 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:42 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:34 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:41 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.88 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 41% 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 | 75 | 77 | 83 | 94 | 98 | 108 | 110 | 115 | 105 | 99 | 87 | 77 |
| Low °F | 6 | 10 | 10 | 27 | 35 | 54 | 59 | 55 | 43 | 30 | 19 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 5.1 |
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 rock formation
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of The Little Rock, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph The Little Rock?
What time is golden hour at The Little Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at The Little Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from The Little Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Little Rock?
How far is The Little Rock from Shannon Hills?
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.