Arrow Rock — a rock formation in Saline County, Missouri — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is New Franklin, about 19.0 km (11.8 mi) away (Arrow Rock lies WNW of town).
From the National Park Service
Arrow Rock was notable in the journeys that opened the West, beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition on June 9, 1804. Clark noted Arrow Rock Bluff and the party's experience in his journal:
“. . . we got fast on a Snag Soon after we Set out which detained us a Short time passed the upper Point of the Island, Several Small Chanels running out of the River below a Bluff & Prairie (Called the Prairie of Arrows) where the river is confined within the width of 300 yds. opposit the Lower point of the 2d Island on the S. S. we had like to have Stove our boat, in going round a Snag her Stern Strucj a log under water & She Swung round on the snag, with her broad Side to the Current expd. to the Drifting timber, by the active exertions of our party we got her off in a fiew Mints. without engerey (injury) and Crossed to the Island where we Campd. Seeing them and the banks too uncertain to Send her over . .”
Clark passed by Arrow Rock again in 1807 with his Dragoons on the way to build Fort Osage. He commented that the area was an excellent location for a fort and a town. George Sibley established a trading post at Arrow Rock and waited there during the War of 1812 when Fort Osage became too dangerous. A permanent ferry was established in 1817, and the town of Arrow Rock was later founded in 1829.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Arrow Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 26m |
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 Arrow Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:22 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 69 | 74 | 79 | 87 | 96 | 107 | 109 | 108 | 103 | 94 | 79 | 71 |
| Low °F | -17 | -10 | -4 | 19 | 31 | 46 | 52 | 47 | 36 | 24 | 9 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
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 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Arrow Rock, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Arrow Rock?
What time is golden hour at Arrow Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Arrow Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Arrow Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Arrow Rock?
How far is Arrow Rock from New Franklin?
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.