Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest — a national forest in Ashland County, Wisconsin — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Park Falls, about 41 km (26 mi) away (Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest lies NW of town).
The Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest (; the q is silent) is a 1,530,647-acre (6,194.31 km2) U.S. National Forest in northern Wisconsin in the United States. Legally two separate national forests—the Chequamegon National Forest and the Nicolet National Forest—the areas were established by presidential proclamations in 1933 and have been managed as one unit since 1998. The national forest's land, trees and vegetation are part of the North Woods ecoregion that prevails throughout the upper Great Lakes region. Little old-growth forest remains due to logging in the early part of the 20th century, and some of the second-growth forest was planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.From the Wikipedia article “Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 54° NE | 8:59 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 124° SE | 4:21 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 37m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 58m |
| June | 4:34 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 45m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 25m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 28m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:54 PM | 8h 39m |
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 Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark 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 | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:21 AM – 4:21 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:15 AM – 3:05 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:42 PM – 2:22 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:22 PM – 1:12 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 11:03 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 9:10 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 58% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 42 | 52 | 72 | 76 | 86 | 89 | 98 | 93 | 89 | 80 | 68 | 54 |
| Low °F | -25 | -24 | -24 | 9 | 25 | 36 | 44 | 44 | 33 | 18 | 1 | -16 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
State ParkWaterfall
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Day Lake3.7 km (2.3 mi) · reservable
- East Twin4.3 km (2.6 mi) · reservable
- Mineral Lake15.5 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Beaver Lake (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Stockfarm Bridge17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest?
How far is Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest from Park Falls?
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.