Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is a national forest in Will County, Illinois. It sits roughly 3.0 km (1.9 mi) S of Elwood.
The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) is a tallgrass prairie reserve and is preserved as United States National Grassland operated by the United States Forest Service. The first national tallgrass prairie ever designated in the United States and the largest conservation site in the Chicago Wilderness region, it is located on the site of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant between the towns of Elwood, Manhattan and Wilmington in northeastern Illinois. Since 2015, it has hosted a conservation herd of American bison to study their interaction with prairie restoration and conservation.From the Wikipedia article “Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:20 AM | 57° ENE | 8:30 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 121° ESE | 4:27 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 11m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 09m |
| July | 5:00 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:23 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 12m |
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 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:30 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 1:38 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:38 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 9:38 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:44 PM – 7:44 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% 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.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 62 | 66 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 102 | 107 | 103 | 96 | 88 | 75 | 69 |
| Low °F | -37 | -19 | -11 | 19 | 27 | 37 | 47 | 45 | 35 | 15 | 7 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
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 national forest
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
State Park
State Park
Dark Sky Place
WaterfallWaterfall
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?
What time is golden hour at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?
Where does the sun rise and set at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?
Can you see the Milky Way from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?
How far is Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie from Elwood?
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.