Cedar Rock State Park is a state park in Buchanan County, Iowa. The nearest town is Independence, about 12.0 km (7.5 mi) away (Cedar Rock State Park lies SE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Cedar Rock State Park is a 426-acre (172 ha) state park in Buchanan County near Quasqueton, Iowa, United States. The park's primary structure is the Lowell Walter House, also known as Cedar Rock, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Usonian style for the local businessman Lowell E. Walter and his wife Agnes. The Walter House, a one-story residence, is constructed on a bluff above a bend of the Wapsipinicon River. The park also includes a gate, fireplace, and boathouse designed by Wright, as well as other visitor amenities such as a visitor center. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places.From the Wikipedia article “Cedar Rock State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cedar Rock 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 238° (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) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 57° ENE | 8:48 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 122° ESE | 4:38 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 04m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:16 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Cedar Rock 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 3 (rural sky), 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 | 4:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:40 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 3:41 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:02 PM – 3:12 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:51 PM – 1:51 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 11:48 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 9:45 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.53 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 September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 83 | 92 | 100 | 106 | 100 | 94 | 85 | 73 | 68 |
| Low °F | -33 | -16 | -18 | 10 | 26 | 40 | 47 | 44 | 33 | 23 | 2 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 5.7 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
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 Cedar Rock State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cedar Rock State Park?
What time is golden hour at Cedar Rock State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cedar Rock State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cedar Rock State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cedar Rock State Park?
How far is Cedar Rock State Park from Independence?
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.