Stone State Park — a state park in Woodbury County, Iowa — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is North Sioux City, about 2.8 km (1.7 mi) away (Stone State Park lies NNE of town).
Stone State Park is a state park in Iowa, United States, located in the bluffs and ravines adjacent to the Big Sioux River. The park is located on the northwestern edge of Sioux City and consists of almost 1,600 acres (650 ha) in Woodbury and Plymouth Counties, and overlooks the South Dakota-Iowa border. Stone Park is near the northernmost extent of the Loess Hills, and is at the transition from clay bluffs and prairie to sedimentary rock hills and bur oak forest along the Iowa side of the Big Sioux River. A variety of prairie plants can be found on the steep slopes and ridges, including yucca, penstemon, rough blazing star, silky aster, and pasque flower. Wild turkey, white-tailed deer, coyote, and red fox are found in the park. Birdlife includes the turkey vulture, barred owl, rufous-sided (eastern) towhee, and the ovenbird. Exposed bedrock in the park is composed of lignite,...From the Wikipedia article “Stone State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Stone 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° (NW) 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) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 57° ENE | 9:08 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 122° ESE | 4:56 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 17m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 05m |
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 Stone 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:07 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 1:10 AM – 4:00 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:21 PM – 3:31 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:10 PM – 2:10 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 12:07 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 10:04 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.78 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 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 55 | 69 | 86 | 89 | 95 | 106 | 111 | 107 | 100 | 91 | 77 | 58 |
| Low °F | -31 | -18 | -10 | 12 | 24 | 44 | 49 | 46 | 36 | 13 | 5 | -16 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Stone State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Stone State Park?
What time is golden hour at Stone State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Stone State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Stone State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Stone State Park?
How far is Stone State Park from North Sioux City?
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.