Lake Poinsett State Park — a state park in Poinsett County, Arkansas — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Harrisburg, about 4.4 km (2.7 mi) away (Lake Poinsett State Park lies SE of town).
Lake Poinsett State Park is a 132-acre (53 ha) Arkansas state park on Crowley's Ridge in Poinsett County, Arkansas in the United States. The park was formed after the damming of Distress Creek to create a recreational lake in the county in 1960. The park is located along the western bank of the lake and features camping, fishing, picnicking and boat rentals.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Poinsett State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Poinsett 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 242° (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) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 60° ENE | 8:22 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 119° ESE | 4:54 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 45m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 33m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 20m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 46m |
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 Lake Poinsett State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 4:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:01 AM – 4:11 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:59 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:27 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:24 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 ≈ 21.46 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 40% 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 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 93 | 93 | 105 | 107 | 110 | 100 | 96 | 85 | 77 |
| Low °F | 6 | 6 | 7 | 23 | 34 | 53 | 59 | 54 | 43 | 28 | 18 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.9 |
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 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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 Lake Poinsett State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Poinsett State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Poinsett State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Poinsett State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Poinsett State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Poinsett State Park?
How far is Lake Poinsett State Park from Harrisburg?
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.