Located in Taney County, Missouri, Hercules Glades Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 10.6 km (6.6 mi) E of Kissee Mills.
The Hercules Glades Wilderness is a 12,314-acre (50 km2) wilderness area in Taney County in the Ozarks of southwest Missouri. The United States Congress designated it a wilderness in 1976, making it the oldest wilderness area in Missouri. It is one of eight wilderness areas in the Mark Twain National Forest and is within the Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs ranger district, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Branson, Missouri. Hercules Glades Wilderness derives its name from the open limestone glades (balds) that dot its landscape. The high points of Coy Bald and Pilot Knob stand 600 feet above Long Creek and offer splendid views of the drainage. Near the middle of the wilderness area is the main set of waterfalls, though Long Creek has several other smaller waterfalls and cascades along its path.From the Wikipedia article “Hercules Glades Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hercules Glades 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) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 60° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 119° ESE | 5:00 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 | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 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 Hercules Glades 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 | 5:00 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:56 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:08 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:25 PM – 3:55 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:33 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 ≈ 21.75 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
- 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 Hercules Glades Wilderness, closest first.
Ghost TownGhost Town
State Park
Beach
LakeState ParkGhost TownGhost Town
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Beaver Creek (Mo)10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- River Run Park15.1 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- Lead Hill21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Tucker Hollow Park22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Buck Creek (Mo)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hercules Glades Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Hercules Glades Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hercules Glades Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hercules Glades Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hercules Glades Wilderness?
How far is Hercules Glades Wilderness from Kissee Mills?
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.