1. Home
  2. Cities
  3. North Dakota
  4. Grand Forks
47.9253° N97.0328° W253 mBortle 7Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Grand Forks, ND

Grand Forks County, North Dakota · pop. 57,011

  • Sunrise 7:55 AM
  • Sunset 6:32 PM
  • Bortle 7

Grand Forks is a city of about 57,011 people in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, at 253 m (830 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:55 AM and sets at 6:32 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:49 PM – 6:51 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Grand Forks

Live
Sunrise
7:55 AM
Sunset
6:32 PM
Golden hour AM
7:36 AM – 8:38 AM
Golden hour PM
5:49 PM – 6:51 PM
Blue hour AM
7:24 AM – 7:36 AM
Blue hour PM
6:51 PM – 7:03 PM
Full darkness
8:15 PM – 6:13 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:13 PM / 1:25 AM
Day length
10h 37m
Sunrise azimuth
105°
Sunset azimuth
255°
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
January8:14 AM9:04 AM4:12 PM5:03 PM5:38 PM8h 49m
February7:35 AM8:20 AM5:07 PM5:51 PM6:23 PM10h 15m
March7:42 AM8:23 AM6:53 PM7:34 PM8:04 PM11h 51m
April6:39 AM7:21 AM7:36 PM8:18 PM8:51 PM13h 39m
May5:51 AM6:36 AM8:15 PM9:00 PM9:37 PM15h 10m
June5:29 AM6:18 AM8:41 PM9:30 PM10:11 PM16h 01m
July5:45 AM6:32 AM8:37 PM9:24 PM10:03 PM15h 39m
August6:24 AM7:07 AM8:00 PM8:43 PM9:17 PM14h 19m
September7:06 AM7:47 AM7:02 PM7:43 PM8:14 PM12h 36m
October7:48 AM8:30 AM5:59 PM6:41 PM7:12 PM10h 53m
November7:35 AM8:23 AM4:04 PM4:52 PM5:26 PM9h 17m
December8:12 AM9:05 AM3:43 PM4:36 PM5:13 PM8h 25m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Grand Forks

At Grand Forks the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Grand Forks

10 photo locations lie within 80 km of Grand Forks. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.

State Parks

Red River State Recreation AreaState Park
Red River State Recreation Area0.9 km away · Polk County
Turtle River State ParkState Park
Turtle River State Park35 km away · Grand Forks County
Old Mill State ParkState Park
Old Mill State Park59 km away · Marshall County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Kellys Slough National Wildlife Refuge19 km away · Grand Forks County
National Wildlife Refuge
Ardoch National Wildlife Refuge40 km away · Walsh County
Glacial Ridge National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge57 km away · Polk County
National Wildlife Refuge
Little Goose National Wildlife Refuge61 km away · Grand Forks County
National Wildlife Refuge
Rydell National Wildlife Refuge75 km away · Polk County
National Wildlife Refuge
Lambs Lake National Wildlife Refuge78 km away · Nelson County

Ghost Towns

SherbrookeGhost Town
Sherbrooke73 km away · Steele County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Grand Forks is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Old Mill State Park, about 59 km (37 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to July, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 3.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Old Mill State ParkState Park59 km (37 mi)1
Little Goose National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge61 km (38 mi)1
SherbrookeGhost Town73 km (45 mi)1
Rydell National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge75 km (47 mi)1
Lambs Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge78 km (49 mi)1
Agassiz Headquarters Fire Observation TowerFire Lookout88 km (55 mi)1
Agassiz National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge93 km (58 mi)1
Lake Bronson State ParkState Park94 km (59 mi)1
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
April4:04 AM – 4:34 AM0.512°
May2:06 AM – 3:16 AM1.213°
June12:45 AM – 2:05 AM1.313°
July12:11 AM – 1:11 AM1.013°
August10:49 PM – 11:09 PM0.311°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 50% 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.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

FAQ

What time is golden hour in Grand Forks today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:36 AM – 8:38 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:49 PM – 6:51 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Grand Forks in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:41 PM and blue hour ends around 7:12 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Grand Forks?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:32 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:38 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Grand Forks?
Look for west-facing high ground or open water; the sunset azimuth table shows where the sun goes down each season.
Can you see the Milky Way from Grand Forks?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to Old Mill State Park (59 km (37 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Grand Forks?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (56°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.