Alcove Springs is a waterfall in Marshall County, Kansas. It is part of Alcove Springs Park. It sits roughly 10.5 km (6.5 mi) SSW of Marysville. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Alcove Springs was a popular stop along the Oregon Trail near Independence Crossing in Marshall County, Kansas. Travelers along the trail gave the springs its name. The words "Alcove Springs," carved into the hard limestone cliff by the Donner Party, can still be seen, although some of the carving has weathered away. It is located about four miles north of Blue Rapids, along the Big Blue River. Across the road from the Alcove Springs park is another park commemorating the Oregon Trail and features history, wagon swales and a D.A.R. marker memorializing Sarah Keyes, a member of the Donner Party who died in 1846. The exact location of her burial is unknown. Alcove Springs was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.From the Wikipedia article “Alcove Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alcove Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 58° ENE | 8:59 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 121° ESE | 5:06 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Alcove Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:34 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:44 AM – 6:04 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 5:12 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:45 AM – 4:15 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:59 PM – 3:49 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:51 PM – 2:31 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:06 PM – 12:26 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.72 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 42% 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 | 67 | 73 | 84 | 89 | 100 | 106 | 109 | 107 | 106 | 93 | 78 | 68 |
| Low °F | -15 | -8 | -5 | 18 | 29 | 45 | 52 | 50 | 39 | 19 | 9 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
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
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Alcove Springs, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alcove Springs?
What time is golden hour at Alcove Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alcove Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alcove Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alcove Springs?
How far is Alcove Springs from Marysville?
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.