Located in Carroll County, Illinois, Mississippi Palisades State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Savanna, about 4.9 km (3.0 mi) away (Mississippi Palisades State Park lies N of town).
Mississippi Palisades State Park is a National Natural Landmark located in Carroll County, Illinois, just north of the town of Savanna. It is a partially conserved section of the Mississippi Palisades. The area contains many caves and large cliffs along the Mississippi River at the mouth of the Apple River in the Driftless Area of far northwestern Illinois.From the Wikipedia article “Mississippi Palisades State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mississippi Palisades State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 239° (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) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 57° ENE | 8:41 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 122° ESE | 4:32 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 7:27 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:34 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 07m |
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 Mississippi Palisades State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:43 AM – 3:33 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:53 PM – 3:03 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 1:43 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 11:41 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 9:38 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.15 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 46% 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 | 50 | 68 | 77 | 82 | 91 | 99 | 106 | 100 | 97 | 86 | 72 | 67 |
| Low °F | -35 | -19 | -17 | 11 | 27 | 39 | 46 | 44 | 33 | 22 | 2 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Mississippi Palisades State Park, closest first.
State Park
Botanical Garden
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Thomson Causeway21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Bulger'S Hollow Recreation Area23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Blanding Landing26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mississippi Palisades State Park?
What time is golden hour at Mississippi Palisades State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mississippi Palisades State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mississippi Palisades State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mississippi Palisades State Park?
How far is Mississippi Palisades State Park from Savanna?
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.