Missouri Mines State Historic Site is a state park in Saint Francois County, Missouri. The nearest town is Flat River, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) away (Missouri Mines State Historic Site lies SSE of town).
Missouri Mines State Historic Site occupies Federal Mill No. 3 in Park Hills, Missouri, United States, which processed the lead and zinc ore that was mined in the immediate area for many decades. The site's old power building features a geological and mining history museum and interpretive center focusing on the state's historic Old Lead Belt. The plant was built by the Federal Lead Co. in 1906-1907 and subsequently bought by competitor St. Joseph Lead Company in 1923. The mill was retired in 1972 as much of the ore in the area had been mined and major operations were moving west. In 1975, the land was donated to the state of Missouri for recreational use. Much of the land was considered too damaged for return to a natural state and so became set aside for off-roading vehicles as St. Joe State Park, while the mill site was designated an interpretive center.From the Wikipedia article “Missouri Mines State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Missouri Mines State Historic Site 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:47 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Missouri Mines State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:21 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 2:14 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.46 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 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 70 | 73 | 83 | 87 | 95 | 110 | 111 | 107 | 100 | 95 | 81 | 71 |
| Low °F | -5 | -1 | 6 | 21 | 32 | 47 | 53 | 49 | 38 | 24 | 12 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.2 |
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 Missouri Mines State Historic Site, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
Natural ArchGhost TownGhost Town
State Park
State Park
Mountain Peak
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Missouri Mines State Historic Site?
What time is golden hour at Missouri Mines State Historic Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Missouri Mines State Historic Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Missouri Mines State Historic Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Missouri Mines State Historic Site?
How far is Missouri Mines State Historic Site from Flat River?
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.