Arrowhead State Park — a state park in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 13.7 km (8.5 mi) SW of Longtown.
The former Arrowhead State Park, now known as the Arrowhead Area at Lake Eufaula State Park is a 2,200-acre (8.9 km2) Oklahoma state park area located in northern Pittsburg County, Oklahoma on a peninsula of Eufaula Lake. It is located near the city of Canadian, Oklahoma. Eufaula is one of the largest man-made lakes in the southwest. Arrowhead State Park features 100 tent sites and 91 total RV sites. The park also offers picnic shelters, a marina, playgrounds, trails, miniature golf course, swimming area, mountain biking, equestrian campground, stables, and 25 miles (40 km) of equestrian trails. Group camps with a kitchen and bunkhouses are available and can sleep up to 144 people. Area 51 Marina, which also offers a restaurant, is also located at the park in the Echo Ridge area.From the Wikipedia article “Arrowhead State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Arrowhead 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:09 AM | 60° ENE | 8:41 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 119° ESE | 5:15 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 47m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:51 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 31m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 48m |
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 Arrowhead State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:30 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:27 PM – 4:17 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:53 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 12:46 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 10:47 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 8:54 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.67 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 76 | 81 | 90 | 95 | 100 | 107 | 111 | 116 | 107 | 94 | 84 | 77 |
| Low °F | 1 | 4 | 12 | 26 | 35 | 52 | 60 | 55 | 45 | 24 | 17 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 6.0 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Arrowhead State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mill Creek (Ok)12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Highway 9 Landing14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Belle Starr20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Brooken Cove26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Ladybird Landing28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Arrowhead State Park?
What time is golden hour at Arrowhead State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Arrowhead State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Arrowhead State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Arrowhead State Park?
How far is Arrowhead State Park from Longtown?
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.