Located in Johnson County, Illinois, Ferne Clyffe State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Goreville, about 2.9 km (1.8 mi) away (Ferne Clyffe State Park lies SSW of town).
Ferne Clyffe State Park is an Illinois state park on 2,430 acres (983 ha) in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The nearest town is Goreville, Illinois, and the nearest connection to a limited-access highway is at Exit 7 on the Illinois portion of Interstate 24. The land for the park was purchased by the state in 1949 from Emma Rebman, and the park is currently operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The original entrance to the park, located on the outskirts of Goreville, was found to be a potentially hazardous driving route, and was replaced by a new entrance located on Illinois Route 37 in the early 1980s. Although traffic upon it has been practically non-existent since 1982, Ferne Clyffe is also accessible to US Bicycle Route 76 by way of a spur trail along the east side of IL 37.From the Wikipedia article “Ferne Clyffe State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ferne Clyffe State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:21 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 35m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Ferne Clyffe State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:54 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:04 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:03 AM – 3:53 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:13 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:07 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 10:04 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:07 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.6 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 71 | 72 | 79 | 85 | 90 | 108 | 109 | 105 | 101 | 94 | 81 | 73 |
| Low °F | -5 | -3 | 5 | 23 | 35 | 43 | 53 | 51 | 39 | 26 | 13 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Ferne Clyffe State Park, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Area
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
State ParkNatural Arch
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ferne Clyffe State Park?
What time is golden hour at Ferne Clyffe State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ferne Clyffe State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ferne Clyffe State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ferne Clyffe State Park?
How far is Ferne Clyffe State Park from Goreville?
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.