Rock Island Trail State Park — a state park in Henry County, Missouri — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.2 km (0.7 mi) NNW of Windsor.
The Rock Island Spur of Katy Trail State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Missouri that is 47-mile (76 km) rails to trails hiking and biking trail. Work on the trail was completed and the trail was opened on December 10, 2016. The trail provides residents of the Kansas City region direct trail access to the 240 mi (390 km) Katy Trail State Park, the longest rails to trails trail in the U.S.From the Wikipedia article “Rock Island Trail State Park (Missouri)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rock Island Trail 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) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 4:57 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 | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 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 | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:25 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 Rock Island Trail 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:24 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.74 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 (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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Rock Island Trail State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rock Island Trail State Park?
What time is golden hour at Rock Island Trail State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rock Island Trail State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rock Island Trail State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rock Island Trail State Park?
How far is Rock Island Trail State Park from Windsor?
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.