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44.8277° N92.9438° W248 mBortle 7Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Cottage Grove, MN

Washington County, Minnesota · pop. 35,918

  • Sunrise 7:34 AM
  • Sunset 6:20 PM
  • Bortle 7

Cottage Grove is a city of about 35,918 people in Washington County, Minnesota, at 248 m (814 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:34 AM and sets at 6:20 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:40 PM – 6:38 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Cottage Grove

Live
Sunrise
7:34 AM
Sunset
6:20 PM
Golden hour AM
7:16 AM – 8:15 AM
Golden hour PM
5:40 PM – 6:38 PM
Blue hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:16 AM
Blue hour PM
6:38 PM – 6:50 PM
Full darkness
7:58 PM – 5:58 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:50 PM / 1:17 AM
Day length
10h 46m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month

Month (15th)SunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:47 AM8:33 AM4:11 PM4:57 PM5:30 PM9h 10m
February7:13 AM7:55 AM4:59 PM5:40 PM6:10 PM10h 27m
March7:25 AM8:04 AM6:39 PM7:18 PM7:47 PM11h 53m
April6:28 AM7:07 AM7:17 PM7:57 PM8:27 PM13h 29m
May5:44 AM6:26 AM7:52 PM8:34 PM9:08 PM14h 50m
June5:26 AM6:11 AM8:15 PM9:00 PM9:37 PM15h 34m
July5:41 AM6:24 AM8:12 PM8:56 PM9:32 PM15h 16m
August6:15 AM6:55 AM7:39 PM8:20 PM8:52 PM14h 05m
September6:51 AM7:30 AM6:46 PM7:25 PM7:54 PM12h 33m
October7:28 AM8:08 AM5:49 PM6:29 PM6:58 PM11h 01m
November7:10 AM7:54 AM4:00 PM4:45 PM5:16 PM9h 35m
December7:43 AM8:32 AM3:44 PM4:32 PM5:06 PM8h 49m

Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Cottage Grove

At Cottage Grove the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Cottage Grove

54 photo locations lie within 80 km of Cottage Grove. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Lookout Point30 km away · Washington County · 204 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Overlook Lake Park31 km away · Hennepin County · 239 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Lookout Point48 km away · Hennepin County · 288 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Taylor Falls Overlook - South68 km away · Chisago County · 232 m

Waterfalls

Saint Anthony FallsWaterfall
Saint Anthony Falls30 km away · Hennepin County · 241 m
Waterfall
Hidden Falls22 km away · Hennepin County
Minnehaha FallsWaterfall
Minnehaha Falls23 km away · Hennepin County · 247 m
Waterfall
Shadow Falls24 km away · Ramsey County · 255 m
Waterfall
Apple River Falls41 km away · Saint Croix County · 226 m
Waterfall
Cascade Falls (Osceola)58 km away · Saint Croix County

State Parks

Afton State ParkState Park
Afton State Park13 km away · Washington County
Kinnickinnic State ParkState Park
Kinnickinnic State Park15 km away · Pierce County
Fort Snelling State ParkState Park
Fort Snelling State Park20 km away · Dakota County
Willow River State ParkState Park
Willow River State Park29 km away · Saint Croix County
William O'Brien State ParkState Park
William O'Brien State Park46 km away · Washington County
Nerstrand Big Woods State ParkState Park
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park55 km away · Rice County

Lakes

Lake PhalenLake
Lake Phalen19 km away · Ramsey County · 262 m
Como LakeLake
Como Lake23 km away · Ramsey County · 269 m
Lake NokomisLake
Lake Nokomis25 km away · Hennepin County · 248 m
Lake HiawathaLake
Lake Hiawatha25 km away · Hennepin County · 248 m
Bennett LakeLake
Bennett Lake26 km away · Ramsey County · 270 m
Black Dog LakeLake
Black Dog Lake25 km away · Dakota County · 212 m

Beaches

Beach
Cedar Lake East Beach33 km away · Hennepin County

Botanical Gardens

Como Park Zoo and ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory24 km away · Ramsey County
Horton Park (Saint Paul, Minnesota)Botanical Garden
Horton Park (Saint Paul, Minnesota)23 km away · Ramsey County
University of Minnesota Landscape ArboretumBotanical Garden
University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum53 km away · Carver County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Cottage Grove is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is St. Croix State Park, about 131 km (81 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 4.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
St. Croix State ParkState Park131 km (81 mi)2
Dorothy Lake State Natural AreaLake136 km (85 mi)2
Red Cedar LakeLake137 km (85 mi)2
Brunet Island State ParkState Park145 km (90 mi)2
Father Hennepin State ParkState Park152 km (95 mi)2
Hamilton FallsWaterfall156 km (97 mi)2
Mille Lacs National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge157 km (97 mi)2
Mille Lacs Kathio State ParkState Park157 km (98 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March5:16 AM – 5:36 AM0.312°
April3:14 AM – 4:34 AM1.316°
May1:11 AM – 3:31 AM2.316°
June11:30 PM – 2:50 AM3.316°
July11:15 PM – 1:35 AM2.316°
August10:14 PM – 11:34 PM1.315°
September9:05 PM – 9:35 PM0.512°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

FAQ

What time is golden hour in Cottage Grove today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:16 AM – 8:15 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:40 PM – 6:38 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Cottage Grove in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:29 PM and blue hour ends around 6:58 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Cottage Grove?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:02 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:34 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Cottage Grove?
Good options nearby include Lake Phalen, Como Lake, Lake Nokomis. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Cottage Grove?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to St. Croix State Park (131 km (81 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Cottage Grove?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (53°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.