Superior National Forest is a national forest in Lake County, Minnesota. The nearest town is Ely, about 27 km (17 mi) away (Superior National Forest lies ESE of town).
The Superior National Forest, part of the United States national forest system, is located in the Arrowhead Region of the state of Minnesota between the Canada–United States border and the north shore of Lake Superior. The area is part of the greater Boundary Waters region along the border of Minnesota and the Canadian province of Ontario, a historic and important thoroughfare in the fur trading and exploring days of New France and British North America.From the Wikipedia article “Superior National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Superior National Forest 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 53° NE | 9:09 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 125° SE | 4:17 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 23m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:16 PM | 8h 50m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:29 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 16m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 09m |
| June | 4:27 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:56 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:48 PM | 16h 00m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 38m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 19m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 18m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:51 PM | 8h 25m |
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 Superior National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.7 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:41 AM – 4:11 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:42 AM – 3:02 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:16 AM – 1:56 AM | 1.7 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:45 PM – 12:55 AM | 1.2 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 10:55 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.0+ 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 62% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 41 | 44 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 85 | 95 | 91 | 87 | 78 | 66 | 45 |
| Low °F | -29 | -25 | -23 | 8 | 23 | 32 | 42 | 40 | 30 | 17 | -5 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
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
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Superior National Forest, closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Wilderness AreaWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- South Kawishiwi River15.5 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Fall Lake19.7 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
- Mcdougal Lake Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Birch Lake Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Little Isabella River Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Superior National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Superior National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Superior National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Superior National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Superior National Forest?
How far is Superior National Forest from Ely?
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.