Located in Monroe County, Missouri, Mark Twain State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 17.2 km (10.7 mi) E of Paris.
Mark Twain State Park is a public recreation area encompassing 2,788 acres (1,128 ha) on Mark Twain Lake in Monroe County, Missouri. The state park offers water recreation, hiking trails, and campgrounds. It is adjacent to the Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site. The Mark Twain State Park Picnic Shelter at Buzzard's Roost is a historic picnic shelter located at Mark Twain State Park. The shelter was built about 1941 by an all African-American Civilian Conservation Corps company. The shelter is constructed of stone in a rustic style. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.From the Wikipedia article “Mark Twain State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mark Twain State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 58° ENE | 8:39 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 120° ESE | 4:47 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 24m |
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 Mark Twain State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 2:10 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:05 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.2 | 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 ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 (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 | 67 | 75 | 79 | 87 | 93 | 107 | 108 | 107 | 103 | 93 | 80 | 72 |
| Low °F | -16 | -9 | -3 | 19 | 33 | 46 | 51 | 48 | 36 | 20 | 9 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Mark Twain State Park, closest first.
State Park
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Indian Creek (Mo)7.9 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Ray Behrens12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- John C. Briscoe Group Use13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- John Spalding Rec Ar14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Frank Russell14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mark Twain State Park?
What time is golden hour at Mark Twain State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mark Twain State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mark Twain State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mark Twain State Park?
How far is Mark Twain State Park from Paris?
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.