Rock Creek State Park — a state park in Jasper County, Iowa — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Grinnell, about 10.0 km (6.2 mi) away (Rock Creek State Park lies W of town).
Rock Creek State Park is a state park in Jasper County, Iowa, United States, located near the city of Kellogg. The 1,697-acre (687 ha) park was dedicated in 1952 and includes numerous boat launches and docks, picnic grounds, camping grounds, and trails for horseback riding and hiking. In the winter, the 602-acre (244 ha) lake may freeze over, and the park is a popular spot for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Grinnell is located 7 miles (11 km) to the east. The park's proximity to the town as well as a connecting bike path make the park a popular destination for students at Grinnell College. Fishing is a common activity at Rock Creek, Fish species record ed include black and white crappie, largemouth bass, white bass, channel catfish, black bullhead, bluegill, green sunfish, freshwater drum, and walleye. Golden shiners also have a small population here, two large golden shiners...From the Wikipedia article “Rock Creek State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rock Creek 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 57° ENE | 8:50 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 122° ESE | 4:44 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:17 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Rock Creek State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 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 | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 3:50 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 10:59 PM – 3:19 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:49 PM – 1:59 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 11:59 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 9:57 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.38 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 43% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 56 | 72 | 78 | 85 | 96 | 103 | 110 | 105 | 102 | 91 | 76 | 71 |
| Low °F | -33 | -14 | -10 | 17 | 28 | 44 | 47 | 44 | 35 | 22 | 7 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rock Creek State Park?
What time is golden hour at Rock Creek State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rock Creek State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rock Creek State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rock Creek State Park?
How far is Rock Creek State Park from Grinnell?
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.