Massacre Rocks State Park is a state park in Power County, Idaho. The nearest town is American Falls, about 9.2 km (5.7 mi) away (Massacre Rocks State Park lies SW of town).
Massacre Rocks State Park is a history-focused public recreation area in the Northwest United States featuring the Massacre Rocks, a famous spot along the Oregon Trail and California Trail during the middle 19th century. The state park is located along the Snake River and Rock Creek, ten miles (16 km) southwest of American Falls, in Power County, Idaho, United States.From the Wikipedia article “Massacre Rocks State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Massacre Rocks State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 56° ENE | 9:14 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:00 AM | 122° ESE | 5:02 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 02m |
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 | 7:29 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:44 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:42 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Massacre Rocks State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:13 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:16 AM – 5:06 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:29 PM – 3:29 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 2:07 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:24 PM – 12:14 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:20 PM – 10:10 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.69 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 35% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 52 | 54 | 72 | 82 | 93 | 97 | 102 | 99 | 94 | 84 | 66 | 54 |
| Low °F | -25 | -14 | -4 | 15 | 20 | 30 | 39 | 39 | 25 | 7 | -18 | -23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 |
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 Massacre Rocks State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
VolcanoVolcano
National Wildlife RefugeVolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Massacre Rocks State Park?
What time is golden hour at Massacre Rocks State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Massacre Rocks State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Massacre Rocks State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Massacre Rocks State Park?
How far is Massacre Rocks State Park from American Falls?
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.