Located in Shoshone County, Idaho, Old Mission State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Pinehurst, about 9.3 km (5.8 mi) away (Old Mission State Park lies W of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Coeur d'Alene's Old Mission State Park is a heritage-oriented state park in the city of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in the western United States, preserving the Mission of the Sacred Heart or Cataldo Mission, a National Historic Landmark. The park contains the church itself, the parish house, and the surrounding property. Built in 1850–1853, Mission of the Sacred Heart is the oldest standing building in Idaho. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.From the Wikipedia article “Old Mission State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Old Mission 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 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:49 AM | 53° NE | 8:47 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 125° SE | 3:57 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 26m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:56 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:32 AM | 5:09 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:53 PM | 15h 07m |
| June | 4:08 AM | 4:48 AM | 5:36 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:26 PM | 15h 57m |
| July | 4:25 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 36m |
| August | 5:08 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 17m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:19 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:39 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:44 PM | 9h 19m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:03 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:31 PM | 8h 28m |
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 Old Mission State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | 5:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:19 AM – 3:59 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:18 AM – 2:38 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:49 PM – 1:39 AM | 1.8 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:20 PM – 12:40 AM | 1.3 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 10:33 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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.
- 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 Old Mission State Park, closest first.
Mountain Pass
National Forest
WaterfallWaterfall
Lake
State Park
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bumblebee Campground11.2 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Honeysuckle Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Beauty Creek Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Shadowy St. Joe Campground25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Old Mission State Park?
What time is golden hour at Old Mission State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Old Mission State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Old Mission State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Old Mission State Park?
How far is Old Mission State Park from Pinehurst?
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.