Sioux Falls is a city of about 171,544 people in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, at 448 m (1,470 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:48 AM and sets at 6:37 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:58 PM – 6:55 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:58 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 6:03 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 5:46 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 24m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:42 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 7:22 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 7:54 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:25 PM | 8h 58m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Sioux Falls
At Sioux Falls 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.
Best photo spots near Sioux Falls
9 photo locations lie within 80 km of Sioux Falls. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Waterfalls
State Parks
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
State ParkNational Wildlife Refuges
Ghost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Sioux Falls is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Manchester, about 121 km (75 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 5.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | Ghost Town | 121 km (75 mi) | 1 |
| Niobrara State Park | State Park | 140 km (87 mi) | 1 |
| Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 145 km (90 mi) | 1 |
| Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 157 km (98 mi) | 1 |
| Mars | Ghost Town | 169 km (105 mi) | 1 |
| Rock Falls | Waterfall | 195 km (121 mi) | 1 |
| Split Rock Creek State Park | State Park | 49 km (30 mi) | 2 |
| Oakwood Lakes State Park | State Park | 103 km (64 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | 5:19 AM – 5:59 AM | 0.7 | 14° |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:54 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| May | 1:17 AM – 3:57 AM | 2.7 | 18° |
| June | 11:31 PM – 3:21 AM | 3.8 | 18° |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:59 AM | 2.7 | 18° |
| August | 10:23 PM – 12:03 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| September | 9:17 PM – 9:57 PM | 0.7 | 14° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.