Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is a National Scenic Riverway in Wisconsin, Minnesota. 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 Saint Croix 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° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:47 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:52 PM | 240° | 9h 05m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:36 PM | 253° | 10h 24m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:15 PM | 268° | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 285° | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:34 PM | 299° | 14h 55m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:01 PM | 306° | 15h 41m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:57 PM | 303° | 15h 22m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:19 PM | 291° | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:23 PM | 275° | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:25 PM | 259° | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:10 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:40 PM | 244° | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:44 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:27 PM | 237° | 8h 42m |
Computed for the park's reference point (45.7002, -92.3613); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Saint Croix, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 3 (rural sky), 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 | 5:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:25 AM | 1.2 | 14° |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:16 AM | 2.0 | 15° |
| June | 11:41 PM – 2:31 AM | 2.8 | 15° |
| July | 11:22 PM – 1:22 AM | 2.0 | 15° |
| August | 10:16 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.0 | 14° |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:14 PM | 0.2 | 11° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Access to the Riverway is year-round. Early spring temperatures can reach into the 40's resulting in high, fast, and cold water from melting snow and ice. Summers are warm and humid. Severe weather can be experienced anytime from mid-spring through late summer. Fall colors begin in late September with high temperatures averaging in the 60's. Winter can set in early with high temperatures in the teens, lows falling below zero, and occasional heavy snow. The rivers can begin to freeze over by early December.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway stretches for over 200 miles in northwest Wisconsin and east-central Minnesota. The Namekagon River flows entirely in Wisconsin while the St. Croix River serves as a border between the two states for much of its length. With many different access points there are numerous opportunities for day trips as well as multi-day paddling adventures. Visitor centers are located on the Namekagon River in Trego, Wisconsin, and on the St. Croix River in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Hiking
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Kayaking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Tubing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
Nearby parks
MN
MI/MN
WI