Located in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, Voyageurs National Park is a dark sky place. It lies in or next to Voyageurs National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is International Falls, about 40 km (25 mi) away (Voyageurs National Park lies ESE of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Voyageurs National Park is a national park of the United States in northern Minnesota established in 1975. It is located near the city of International Falls. The park's name commemorates the voyageurs—French-Canadian fur traders who were the first European settlers to frequently travel through the area. Notable for its outstanding water resources, the park is popular with canoeists, kayakers, other boaters, and fishermen. The Kabetogama Peninsula, which lies entirely within the park and makes up most of its land area, is only accessible by boat. To the east of the park lies the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The park has several boat ramps and visitor centers on its periphery, though the main body of the park is only accessible by boat or, in the winter, by snowmobile, ski, or snowshoe. In 2018, the park hosted 239,656 visitors.From the Wikipedia article “Voyageurs National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Voyageurs National Park 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 308° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:10 AM | 52° NE | 9:18 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:02 AM | 126° SE | 4:19 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 18m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:51 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 45m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 41m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 14m |
| June | 4:28 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:16 PM | 9:58 PM | 16h 06m |
| July | 4:46 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:50 PM | 15h 44m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 22m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:56 PM | 10h 52m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 14m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:52 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:54 PM | 8h 20m |
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 Voyageurs National Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:00 AM – 4:20 AM | 0.3 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:56 AM – 2:56 AM | 1.0 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:50 AM – 1:30 AM | 0.7 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 12:03 AM – 12:43 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:36 PM – 10:46 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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 2.5+ 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 55% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 36 | 44 | 76 | 78 | 86 | 90 | 97 | 97 | 91 | 78 | 65 | 38 |
| Low °F | -48 | -40 | -31 | 6 | 22 | 34 | 42 | 40 | 25 | 11 | -8 | -38 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
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 dark sky place
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Voyageurs National Park, closest first.
Fire Lookout
State Park
WaterfallWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Fire Lookout
LakeFire LookoutFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Voyageurs National Park?
What time is golden hour at Voyageurs National Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Voyageurs National Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Voyageurs National Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Voyageurs National Park?
How far is Voyageurs National Park from International Falls?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.