Dells of the Wisconsin River — a canyon in Columbia County, Wisconsin — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) NW of Wisconsin Dells.
The Dells of the Wisconsin River, also called the Wisconsin Dells (from Old English "dæl", modern English "dale"), meaning "valley", is a 5-mile (8-km) gorge on the Wisconsin River in south-central Wisconsin, United States. It is noted for its scenery, in particular for its Cambrian sandstone rock formations and tributary canyons. The formations are divided into the "Upper Dells" and the "Lower Dells" by the Kilbourn Dam. The cliffs, some over 100 feet (30 m) tall, and side canyons are closed to the public to protect sensitive ecological features. Viewing the rock formations by water is a tourist attraction in the area. The nearby city of Wisconsin Dells is the center of summer tourist activity, much of it in the form of the theme parks unrelated to the river features. The Dells of the Wisconsin River is owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It was established as a...From the Wikipedia article “Dells of the Wisconsin River”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dells of the Wisconsin River the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:18 AM | 56° NE | 8:45 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 123° ESE | 4:26 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:37 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:13 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 57m |
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 Dells of the Wisconsin River, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:51 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:47 AM – 4:27 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 3:21 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:06 PM – 2:46 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:33 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 11:26 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:29 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.54 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 49 | 65 | 78 | 81 | 91 | 97 | 104 | 98 | 94 | 85 | 72 | 63 |
| Low °F | -43 | -25 | -19 | 10 | 26 | 39 | 46 | 42 | 33 | 19 | 2 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
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 canyon
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Dells of the Wisconsin River, closest first.
State Park
Ghost TownGhost Town
Lake
Waterfall
Rock FormationFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dells of the Wisconsin River?
What time is golden hour at Dells of the Wisconsin River?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dells of the Wisconsin River?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dells of the Wisconsin River?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dells of the Wisconsin River?
How far is Dells of the Wisconsin River from Wisconsin Dells?
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.