Ponderosa State Park is a state park in Valley County, Idaho. The nearest town is McCall, about 3.1 km (1.9 mi) away (Ponderosa State Park lies NNE of town).
Ponderosa State Park is a public recreation area and state park occupying a peninsula in Payette Lake on the northeast edge of McCall in Valley County, Idaho, United States. The park's 1,515 acres (613 ha) include a second unit, called North Beach, located six miles (9.7 km) north of McCall at the northern extremity of the lake. The park has hiking and biking trails, guided walks, evening programs, beaches, picnic areas, and opportunities for skiing, snowshoeing, and wildlife watching. It is also home to the University of Idaho Field Campus.From the Wikipedia article “Ponderosa State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ponderosa State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:48 AM | 90° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 55° NE | 9:35 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:32 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:20 AM | 123° ESE | 5:06 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:47 AM | 8:19 AM | 9:06 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:29 PM | 6:02 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:36 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:41 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:48 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:05 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:40 AM | 6:21 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:43 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 8h 48m |
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 Ponderosa State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:48 AM – 6:08 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:45 AM – 3:55 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:06 AM – 3:16 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:49 PM – 1:59 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:47 PM – 11:57 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:37 PM – 9:57 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 January as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 42 | 51 | 65 | 77 | 88 | 102 | 102 | 99 | 95 | 85 | 65 | 47 |
| Low °F | -18 | -10 | -2 | 11 | 22 | 31 | 38 | 36 | 27 | 12 | -10 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Ponderosa State Park, closest first.
National Forest
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot SpringHot SpringHot SpringScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallHot SpringHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lake Fork10.4 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Last Chance10.7 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Grouse Campground16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Paddy Flat Guard Station21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Upper Payette Lake Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ponderosa State Park?
What time is golden hour at Ponderosa State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ponderosa State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ponderosa State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ponderosa State Park?
How far is Ponderosa State Park from McCall?
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.