Morris State Park is a state park in Dunklin County, Missouri. It sits roughly 7.0 km (4.3 mi) W of Malden.
Morris State Park is a public recreation area consisting of 161 acres (65 ha) in Dunklin County, Missouri. The state park preserves a section of Crowley's Ridge, a unique geologic feature of southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas. The state park offers a two-mile hiking trail along a portion of the "geologic oddity." The park is named for businessman Jim D. Morris, who donated the parcel to the state in 1999.From the Wikipedia article “Morris State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Morris State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 60° ENE | 8:22 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 119° ESE | 4:49 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Morris State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:48 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:55 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:02 AM – 4:02 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:11 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:36 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.48 mag/arcsec².
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 (63%). 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 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 89 | 91 | 105 | 106 | 108 | 98 | 92 | 83 | 74 |
| Low °F | 4 | -1 | 10 | 22 | 34 | 49 | 56 | 50 | 40 | 26 | 15 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
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
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Morris State Park?
What time is golden hour at Morris State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Morris State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Morris State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Morris State Park?
How far is Morris State Park from Malden?
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.