International Peace Garden — a botanical garden in Rolette County, North Dakota — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Shell Valley, about 27 km (17 mi) away (International Peace Garden lies NNW of town).
The International Peace Garden (French: Jardin international de la paix) is a 9.5-square-kilometre (3.7 sq mi) park located adjacent to the International Peace Garden Border Crossing along the Canada–United States border between the province of Manitoba and the state of North Dakota. It was established on July 14, 1932, as a symbol of the peaceful relationship between the two countries. The slogan Peace Garden State originates from the International Peace Garden, and was added to vehicle registration plates of North Dakota in 1956, In the next year, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly made the slogan an official state nickname.From the Wikipedia article “International Peace Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At International Peace Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 309° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 64° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:44 AM | 89° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 52° NE | 9:49 PM | 309° NW | 64° | 16h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 272° W | 41° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:32 AM | 126° SE | 4:46 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 13m |
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 | 7:54 AM | 8:30 AM | 9:22 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:47 PM | 8h 41m |
| February | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:35 AM | 5:16 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 11m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:36 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:17 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:05 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:16 PM | 9:54 PM | 15h 17m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:57 PM | 9:47 PM | 10:30 PM | 16h 11m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:52 PM | 9:41 PM | 10:21 PM | 15h 48m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:33 PM | 14h 24m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 38m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:45 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:24 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:11 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 10m |
| December | 7:51 AM | 8:29 AM | 9:24 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 15m |
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 International Peace Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| April | 4:31 AM – 4:41 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:40 AM – 3:20 AM | 0.7 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:30 AM – 3:00 AM | 2.5 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:41 AM – 1:11 AM | 0.5 | 11° | S → SSW |
| August | 11:08 PM – 11:08 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.0+ 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 49% average cloud cover) and November 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 | 45 | 51 | 77 | 85 | 91 | 95 | 100 | 103 | 92 | 83 | 64 | 43 |
| Low °F | -51 | -43 | -41 | 0 | 16 | 35 | 43 | 35 | 25 | 6 | -18 | -37 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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
- 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.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 International Peace Garden, closest first.
National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph International Peace Garden?
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Where does the sun rise and set at International Peace Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from International Peace Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at International Peace Garden?
How far is International Peace Garden from Shell Valley?
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.