Located in Pike County, Arkansas, Crater of Diamonds State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 3.7 km (2.3 mi) SSE of Murfreesboro. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Crater of Diamonds State Park is a 911-acre (369 ha) Arkansas state park in Pike County, Arkansas, in the United States. The park has a 37.5-acre (15.2-hectare) plowed field which is one of the few diamond-bearing sites accessible to the public. Diamonds have been discovered in the field continuously since 1906, including the graded-perfect Strawn-Wagner Diamond, found in 1990, and the Uncle Sam, found in 1924, which at over 40 carats is the largest diamond ever found in the United States. The site became a state park in 1972 when the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism purchased the site from private owners in Dallas, Texas, which had operated the site as a tourist attraction.From the Wikipedia article “Crater of Diamonds State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Crater of Diamonds State Park 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 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:05 AM | 61° ENE | 8:30 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 118° ESE | 5:10 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:35 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Crater of Diamonds State Park, 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 | 4:53 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:06 AM – 5:56 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:04 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:07 AM – 4:27 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:13 PM – 4:13 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:49 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:45 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:48 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:45 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.81 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 | 75 | 81 | 88 | 96 | 108 | 108 | 113 | 105 | 94 | 85 | 75 |
| Low °F | -1 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 34 | 53 | 55 | 53 | 44 | 29 | 18 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
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 Crater of Diamonds State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Riverside Day Use Area12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Dam Area Pavilion13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Parker Creek13.9 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Cowhide Cove15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Kirby Landing22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Crater of Diamonds State Park?
What time is golden hour at Crater of Diamonds State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Crater of Diamonds State Park?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Crater of Diamonds State Park?
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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.