Located in Ada County, Idaho, Lucky Peak State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Boise, about 14.8 km (9.2 mi) away (Lucky Peak State Park lies SE of town).
Lucky Peak State Park is a public recreation area covering a total of 240 acres (97 ha) on and near Lucky Peak Lake, eight miles (13 km) southeast of Boise in Ada County, Idaho. The state park has three units: Discovery Park off State Highway 21, a roadside park for picnicking and fishing in the Boise River; Sandy Point at the base of the Lucky Peak Dam, with sandy beach and calm waters for wading and swimming; and the Spring Shores unit with boat ramps and marina at the northern end of the lake. The park was created in 1956 by agreement with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, following completion of the Lucky Peak Dam. The park is also home to the Lucky Peak Dam Zeolite Occurrence. The park can be accessed off of the Boise River Greenbelt.From the Wikipedia article “Lucky Peak State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lucky Peak State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:48 AM | 90° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 56° NE | 9:30 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:32 AM | 89° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:15 AM | 123° ESE | 5:11 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:00 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 19m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:44 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:29 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:35 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 5:28 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:44 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 24m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:24 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 06m |
| August | 6:19 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:20 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:30 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:38 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 7:08 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 7:39 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:58 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:42 PM | 8h 58m |
Local time (America/Boise), 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 Lucky Peak State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:36 AM – 6:16 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:35 AM – 4:15 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:49 PM – 3:39 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:36 PM – 2:16 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:39 PM – 12:19 AM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:34 PM – 10:14 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.42 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 57 | 60 | 74 | 87 | 100 | 108 | 110 | 108 | 101 | 92 | 73 | 58 |
| Low °F | -9 | 8 | 16 | 23 | 27 | 36 | 46 | 45 | 34 | 18 | 6 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.5 |
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
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Lucky Peak State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Robie Creek Park Group Shelter11.9 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Macks Creek Campground12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Shafer Butte28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lucky Peak State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lucky Peak State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lucky Peak State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lucky Peak State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lucky Peak State Park?
How far is Lucky Peak State Park from Boise?
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.