Castlewood State Park is a state park in Saint Louis County, Missouri. It sits roughly 4.5 km (2.8 mi) W of Valley Park.
Castlewood State Park is a public recreation area and Missouri state park occupying 1,818 acres (736 ha) which straddles the Meramec River in St. Louis County, Missouri. The most visited section of the state park lies on the north side of the Meramec; the park acreage on the south side of the river is accessed from Lone Elk County Park and includes the World Bird Sanctuary.From the Wikipedia article “Castlewood State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Castlewood 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 301° (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) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 59° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 120° ESE | 4:45 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Castlewood 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 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:59 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:26 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:09 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.14 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 71 | 77 | 82 | 88 | 96 | 109 | 109 | 107 | 103 | 94 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | -9 | -11 | 4 | 20 | 33 | 47 | 53 | 49 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Castlewood State Park, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
State Park
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Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Castlewood State Park?
What time is golden hour at Castlewood State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Castlewood State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Castlewood State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Castlewood State Park?
How far is Castlewood State Park from Valley Park?
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.