Harry S Truman State Park — a state park in Benton County, Missouri — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 6.3 km (3.9 mi) NW of Warsaw.
Harry S Truman State Park is a public recreation area occupying 1,440 acres (580 ha) on a peninsula on Truman Lake, a 55,600-acre (22,500 ha) impoundment of the Osage River, near Warsaw, Missouri. The state park offers boating, fishing, swimming, hiking trails, and campgrounds.From the Wikipedia article “Harry S Truman State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Harry S Truman 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) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 59° ENE | 8:41 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:58 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Harry S Truman 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 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:14 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:28 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:25 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: 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 ≈ 21.73 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 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 73 | 75 | 82 | 93 | 90 | 104 | 110 | 111 | 104 | 92 | 79 | 71 |
| Low °F | -13 | -7 | -1 | 19 | 31 | 46 | 53 | 49 | 39 | 17 | 8 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Harry S Truman State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Shawnee Bend2.6 km (1.6 mi) · reservable
- Long Shoal2.9 km (1.8 mi) · reservable
- Bledsoe Ferry3.9 km (2.4 mi) · reservable
- Thibaut Point4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Osage Bluff10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Harry S Truman State Park?
What time is golden hour at Harry S Truman State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Harry S Truman State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Harry S Truman State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Harry S Truman State Park?
How far is Harry S Truman State Park from Warsaw?
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.