Devil's Den State Park is a state park in Washington County, Arkansas. The nearest town is West Fork, about 17.0 km (10.6 mi) away (Devil's Den State Park lies SSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Devil's Den State Park is a 2,200-acre (890 ha) Arkansas state park in Washington County, near West Fork, Arkansas in the United States. Park amenities were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, beginning in 1933. Devil's Den State Park is in the Lee Creek Valley in the Boston Mountains, which are the southwestern part of The Ozarks. The park, with an 8 acres (3.2 ha) CCC-built lake, is open for year-round recreation, with trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Devil's Den State Park also has several picnic areas, a swimming pool and cabins, with camping sites ranging from modern to primitive. Fossils of coral and crinoids can be found along the banks and within Lee Creek at Devil's Den State Park.From the Wikipedia article “Devil's Den State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Devil's Den State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 60° ENE | 8:37 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 119° ESE | 5:08 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 44m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 45m |
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 Devil's Den State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 5:10 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:24 PM – 4:04 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:39 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:42 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:42 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:38 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.51 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 | 81 | 86 | 94 | 97 | 107 | 109 | 116 | 106 | 93 | 84 | 78 |
| Low °F | 1 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 34 | 51 | 58 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 17 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.2 |
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 Devil's Den State Park, closest first.
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
State Park
State ParkGhost Town
Scenic ViewpointGhost TownGhost TownGhost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Devil's Den State Park?
What time is golden hour at Devil's Den State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Devil's Den State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Devil's Den State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Devil's Den State Park?
How far is Devil's Den State Park from West Fork?
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.