Located in Howard County, Arkansas, Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area is a state park. The nearest town is Dierks, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area lies NW of town).
Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area is a 5,299.65-acre (2,144.69 ha) Arkansas state park in Howard County and Polk County, Arkansas in the United States. The park follows a rough, undeveloped 12.5 miles (20.1 km) of the Cossatot River. The river itself is included in Arkansas's Natural and Scenic Rivers System and the National Park Service's list of National Wild and Scenic Rivers, making it a whitewater rafting destination. The rough nature of the river, including Class III, IV, and dangerous Class V rapids, make the park-natural area a popular destination for skilled canoeists, kayakers, and playboaters. The park became a part of the system in 1988 after the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission agreed to cooperative management after acquiring the property from the Weyerhaeuser Corporation.From the Wikipedia article “Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area 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) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 61° ENE | 8:33 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 118° ESE | 5:11 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:36 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 53m |
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 Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:30 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:16 PM – 4:16 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 2:52 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:47 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:50 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:07 PM – 8:47 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: 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 ≈ 21.85 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 | 73 | 76 | 81 | 88 | 97 | 107 | 107 | 112 | 104 | 92 | 83 | 76 |
| Low °F | 0 | 2 | 10 | 25 | 34 | 52 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 28 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
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 state park
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area, closest first.
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Fire Lookout
National ForestWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Little Coon Creek Park10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Big Coon Creek10.7 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Cossatot Reefs11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Blue Ridge Park13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Jefferson Ridge16.8 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area?
What time is golden hour at Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area?
How far is Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area from Dierks?
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.