Effigy Mounds National Monument is a National Monument in Iowa. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Effigy Mounds the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (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.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:55 PM | 241° | 9h 21m |
| February | 7:04 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:36 PM | 254° | 10h 33m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:11 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 284° | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 297° | 14h 40m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:47 PM | 304° | 15h 21m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:43 PM | 301° | 15h 04m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 290° | 13h 58m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 275° | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:24 PM | 259° | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:58 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:42 PM | 245° | 9h 44m |
| December | 7:30 AM | 8:16 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:31 PM | 238° | 9h 01m |
Computed for the park's reference point (43.0810, -91.1969); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Effigy Mounds, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 14° |
| April | 2:50 AM – 4:30 AM | 1.7 | 17° |
| May | 12:52 AM – 3:32 AM | 2.7 | 18° |
| June | 11:04 PM – 3:04 AM | 4.0 | 18° |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:43 AM | 2.8 | 18° |
| August | 9:58 PM – 11:38 PM | 1.7 | 17° |
| September | 8:54 PM – 9:44 PM | 0.8 | 14° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
All four seasons are represented in this area with summer temperature in the upper 80’s with higher heat indexes due to humidity and winter daytime highs in the 20's. Temperatures are in °Fahrenheit.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
Located 3 miles north of Marquette, Iowa on Hwy 76.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
