Mushroom Rock State Park — a state park in Ellsworth County, Kansas — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 17.1 km (10.6 mi) E of Ellsworth.
Mushroom Rock State Park is noted for its mushroom rock formations. It is located in the Smoky Hills region of north-central Kansas in Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States. These rocks are the remains of beach sands and sediments of the Cretaceous Period, the interval of geologic time from about 144 to 66 million years ago. Sandstone and sedimentary rock are held together by natural cement. The concretions that make up mushroom rocks are cemented calcium carbonate. The largest rock measures 27 feet in diameter. Two mushrooms and a giant shoe rock, as well as numerous other rock formations, are in the 5-acre (2.0 ha) park. Mushroom Rock is Kansas's smallest state park, as well as being "one of the eight wonders of Kansas geography." Mushroom Rock State Park is managed by Kanopolis State Park, under regulation of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. The rock once served...From the Wikipedia article “Mushroom Rock State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mushroom Rock 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:08 AM | 59° ENE | 9:01 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 120° ESE | 5:15 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 7:20 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:04 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:20 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:51 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:36 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:49 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Mushroom Rock State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:39 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:48 AM – 6:08 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:44 AM – 5:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:45 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:57 PM – 4:07 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:50 PM – 2:40 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 12:37 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 10:32 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.8 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 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 81 | 88 | 98 | 101 | 113 | 112 | 110 | 110 | 96 | 84 | 69 |
| Low °F | -3 | -2 | 0 | 18 | 30 | 47 | 54 | 51 | 39 | 21 | 12 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
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 Mushroom Rock State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mushroom Rock State Park?
What time is golden hour at Mushroom Rock State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mushroom Rock State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mushroom Rock State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mushroom Rock State Park?
How far is Mushroom Rock State Park from Ellsworth?
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.