Chicken Rock — a rock formation in Cassia County, Idaho — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to City Of Rocks National Reserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Burley, about 52 km (32 mi) away (Chicken Rock lies S of town).
From the National Park Service
This granite formation is an excellent example of spires, joints and weathering.
Some call this rock Scotty Dog. What do you see?
There are emigrant signatures on this formation as well. Please do not climb or scramble on formations with signatures.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chicken Rock 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 57° ENE | 9:15 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 122° ESE | 5:07 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 7:30 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:45 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:43 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:07 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:26 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:25 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:42 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 08m |
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 Chicken Rock, 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 6:05 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:07 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 1:06 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:25 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:15 PM – 2:25 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:23 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 9:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 63 | 59 | 74 | 85 | 98 | 104 | 107 | 102 | 101 | 90 | 73 | 56 |
| Low °F | -19 | 0 | 9 | 19 | 22 | 31 | 43 | 43 | 29 | 11 | -12 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.0 |
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
- 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.
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Chicken Rock, closest first.
Rock Formation
State Park
Natural ArchRock Formation
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Mountain Peak
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- City Of Rocks Campground1.2 km (0.7 mi)
- Smoky Mountain Campground3.2 km (2.0 mi)
- Independence Lakes Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi)
- Lake Cleveland Campground - West Side27 km (17 mi)
- Twin Lakes Campground (Sawtooth)28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chicken Rock?
What time is golden hour at Chicken Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chicken Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chicken Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chicken Rock?
How far is Chicken Rock from Burley?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.