Little Missouri Falls is a waterfall in Montgomery County, Arkansas. The nearest town is Mount Ida, about 30 km (19 mi) away (Little Missouri Falls lies WSW of town).
The Little Missouri Falls is a sizable waterfall on the upper reaches of the Little Missouri River in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas, United States. It is a stairstep fall in a deep gorge. The falls can be reached by an all-weather gravel road, and there is a parking area with restrooms and a paved trail leading to observation sites. Water flow is greatest during the winter and spring months.From the Wikipedia article “Little Missouri Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Little Missouri Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 61° ENE | 8:32 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 118° ESE | 5:10 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 52m |
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 Little Missouri Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:54 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:08 AM – 5:58 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:30 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:16 PM – 4:16 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 2:52 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:47 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:49 PM | 2.0 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.85 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 (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 | 72 | 75 | 81 | 88 | 96 | 108 | 108 | 113 | 105 | 94 | 85 | 75 |
| Low °F | -1 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 34 | 53 | 55 | 53 | 44 | 29 | 18 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
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 waterfall
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Little Missouri Falls, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
Ghost Town
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Star Of The West22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Arrowhead Point22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Self Creek Pavilion26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Kirby Landing30 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Blue Ridge Park30 km (19 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Little Missouri Falls?
What time is golden hour at Little Missouri Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Little Missouri Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Little Missouri Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Little Missouri Falls?
How far is Little Missouri Falls from Mount Ida?
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.