Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens is a botanical garden in Benton County, Minnesota. It sits roughly 1.8 km (1.1 mi) SE of Saint Cloud.
Munsinger Gardens (14 acres) and Clemens Gardens (7 acres) are two distinct but adjacent gardens on the banks of the Mississippi River northwest of the intersection of University Drive SE and Kilian Blvd SE, and along the southernmost portion of Riverside Drive SE, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The gardens are open every day from 6:00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., spring to fall. There is no admission fee. Munsinger Gardens are informal with winding flower-bordered paths under tall pines, and date from 1915 when the city purchased the former site of a sawmill as a park. The gardens themselves were constructed primarily in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. Projects from this period included planting trees and flowerbeds, and building rock-lined paths, a lily pond, and a fountain. The first greenhouse was built in 1938; it has subsequently been replaced. The gardens were refurbished and...From the Wikipedia article “Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 55° NE | 9:10 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 124° SE | 4:36 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 42m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:12 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 54m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 40m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:02 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:40 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:09 PM | 8h 43m |
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 Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:22 AM – 4:32 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:22 AM – 3:32 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:45 PM – 2:45 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:28 PM – 1:28 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:23 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 9:32 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.49 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 47 | 62 | 81 | 88 | 91 | 97 | 107 | 101 | 96 | 85 | 72 | 48 |
| Low °F | -41 | -30 | -27 | 1 | 23 | 40 | 47 | 43 | 30 | 7 | -7 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
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 botanical garden
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens?
How far is Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens from Saint Cloud?
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.