Caney Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area in Polk County, Arkansas. The nearest town is Mena, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Caney Creek Wilderness lies SE of town).
The Caney Creek Wilderness is a rugged 14,460-acre (58.5 km2) segment of the Ouachita National Forest near the mountain town of Mena, Arkansas. It was designated by Congress in 1975 as the first wilderness area in Arkansas. The wilderness' main drainage and namesake, Caney Creek, winds through old-growth bottomland forest and is surrounded by tall, steep ridges, with the clear Cossatot River bordering the wilderness on the west side. The wilderness is known for exceptional air and water quality as well as virgin forest and excellent vistas.From the Wikipedia article “Caney Creek Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Caney Creek Wilderness 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) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:05 AM | 61° ENE | 8:33 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 118° ESE | 5:11 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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:35 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:30 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 Caney Creek Wilderness, 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 ≈ 21.84 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 | 73 | 76 | 81 | 88 | 97 | 107 | 107 | 112 | 104 | 92 | 83 | 76 |
| Low °F | 0 | 2 | 10 | 25 | 34 | 52 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 28 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
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 wilderness area
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Caney Creek Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
Ghost TownWaterfall
State Park
National Forest
Fire LookoutCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blue Ridge Park24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Little Coon Creek Park26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Big Coon Creek26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Cossatot Reefs27 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Star Of The West28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Caney Creek Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Caney Creek Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Caney Creek Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Caney Creek Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Caney Creek Wilderness?
How far is Caney Creek Wilderness from Mena?
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.