McCroskey State Park — a state park in Latah County, Idaho — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 19.6 km (12.2 mi) NNE of Palouse.
McCroskey State Park—officially Mary Minerva McCroskey State Park—is a public recreation area in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, located in the Palouse region of northern Idaho. The park's 5,300 acres (2,100 ha) stretch along a ridge in Latah and Benewah Counties, along the border with Washington.From the Wikipedia article “McCroskey State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At McCroskey State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:53 AM | 53° NE | 8:48 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 125° SE | 4:02 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 30m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:00 PM | 8h 56m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 4:37 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:53 PM | 15h 04m |
| June | 4:13 AM | 4:53 AM | 5:40 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 53m |
| July | 4:30 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 32m |
| August | 5:12 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:18 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 15m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:21 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:20 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:39 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 22m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:08 PM | 4:00 PM | 4:35 PM | 8h 32m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 McCroskey State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:09 AM – 3:59 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:16 AM – 2:46 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:41 PM – 1:51 AM | 2.2 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 12:46 AM | 1.5 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:02 PM – 10:42 PM | 0.7 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 30% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 49 | 54 | 65 | 79 | 87 | 101 | 100 | 105 | 94 | 85 | 61 | 48 |
| Low °F | -20 | -19 | -10 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 38 | 38 | 22 | 2 | -18 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.1 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 5.0 | 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
- 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 McCroskey State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Rock Formation
State Park
State Park
State Park
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Laird Park Campground27 km (17 mi)
- Bald Mountain Lookout (Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Id)29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph McCroskey State Park?
What time is golden hour at McCroskey State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at McCroskey State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from McCroskey State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at McCroskey State Park?
How far is McCroskey State Park from Palouse?
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.