About ShadeDial
ShadeDial started with a very hot afternoon at a Jasper campground that had lost its trees to the 2024 wildfire. Booking sites listed the loops and the hookups — but nothing could answer the question that actually mattered: where will the shade be at 3 PM? This tool answers it, site by site.
Data sources
- Campsite positions & attributes — Recreation.gov campsite records (US) and Parks Canada open data via OpenStreetMap (Canada). Shade ratings shown as “park-rated” come directly from Recreation.gov site records.
- Terrain — Mapzen/AWS Open Data terrain tiles (bare-earth elevation).
- Tree heights — ETH Zurich Global Canopy Height model, 10 m resolution, satellite-derived (2020).
- Sun position — standard astronomical formulas (NOAA), accurate to a fraction of a degree.
- Imagery — © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics.
Accuracy limits
- Sun-hour figures are computed for the 15th of each month from a 180-direction horizon profile per site (terrain + tree canopy). They are estimates, not guarantees.
- The 2020 canopy data predates recent wildfires and tree work — pages affected by the 2024 Jasper fire carry an explicit warning.
- 10 m resolution can't see individual branches, and campsite pads are assumed clear of trees within ~15 m.
- Weather (clouds) is not included — figures are for clear sky.
Independence
ShadeDial is an independent planning tool. It is not affiliated with the National Park Service, Parks Canada, Recreation.gov, or any booking provider. Bookings always happen on the official reservation sites.