Located in Ozark County, Missouri, Devils Backbone Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) W of West Plains.
Devils Backbone Wilderness is a protected area in Missouri that is maintained by the United States Forest Service and was designated as such by the United States Congress in 1980. The wilderness area now has a total of 6,687 acres (2,706 ha). Devils Backbone is located within the Willow Springs portion of the Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs Ranger District, of the Mark Twain National Forest, near Willow Springs. It was named for a prominent ridge down the center of the area. Devils Backbone Wilderness is one of eight wilderness areas protected and preserved in Missouri.From the Wikipedia article “Devils Backbone Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Devils Backbone Wilderness 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 119° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 40m |
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 Devils Backbone Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 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 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 | 4:57 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 4:12 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:22 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:27 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:26 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec².
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 (63%). 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 | 78 | 84 | 92 | 93 | 109 | 108 | 111 | 104 | 94 | 84 | 73 |
| Low °F | 0 | -5 | 7 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 55 | 50 | 41 | 26 | 15 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
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.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- 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 Devils Backbone Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
Ghost TownGhost TownGhost Town
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Devils Backbone Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Devils Backbone Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Devils Backbone Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Devils Backbone Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Devils Backbone Wilderness?
How far is Devils Backbone Wilderness from West Plains?
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.