Clear Springs Wilderness — a wilderness area in Union County, Illinois — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 15.5 km (9.6 mi) WNW of Cobden.
The Clear Springs Wilderness is a 4,730-acre (19.1 km2) parcel of land listed as a Wilderness Area of the United States. Adjacent to it is the LaRue-Pine Hills Research Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark noted for a large and diverse population of snakes. The wilderness is located within the Shawnee National Forest in southwestern Jackson County and northwestern Union County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The nearest town of any size is Wolf Lake, Illinois.From the Wikipedia article “Clear Springs Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clear Springs Wilderness 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:23 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Clear Springs Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | 4:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:03 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:15 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:09 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:29 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:36 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.55 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 71 | 73 | 79 | 85 | 89 | 108 | 108 | 105 | 100 | 92 | 80 | 72 |
| Low °F | -2 | -2 | 6 | 22 | 35 | 45 | 53 | 50 | 40 | 25 | 13 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.9 |
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 wilderness area
- 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.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Clear Springs Wilderness, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural Arch
State Park
Rock FormationFire Lookout
State Park
Fire Lookout
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clear Springs Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Clear Springs Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clear Springs Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clear Springs Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clear Springs Wilderness?
How far is Clear Springs Wilderness from Cobden?
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.