Located in Norton County, Kansas, Prairie Dog State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 5.9 km (3.7 mi) WSW of Norton.
Prairie Dog State Park is a state park located 4 miles west of Norton, Kansas, United States, on Highway 261. Located in western Kansas, the Prairie Dog State Park is named after the creek that feeds into the Keith Sebelius Reservoir, and had no prairie dog populations living there when it was established in 1967. Prairie dogs were introduced in the 1980s and the state park now holds a thriving colony of about 300. The park occupies 1,100-acre (450 ha) on the north shore of Keith Sebelius Lake in Norton County. The dam was completed for Keith Sebelius Reservoir in 1965 and quickly filled up the following year. One of the last remaining adobe house is located at the park. The renovated house was built sometime in the 1890s. Also located in the park is the 1886 Hillmon one room school house.From the Wikipedia article “Prairie Dog State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Prairie Dog State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:44 AM | 90° E | 7:52 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 58° ENE | 9:12 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:28 AM | 89° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:58 AM | 121° ESE | 5:19 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:44 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:25 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:28 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:43 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:53 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:07 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:23 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:27 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Prairie Dog State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:47 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:57 AM – 6:17 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:55 AM – 5:25 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:58 AM – 4:28 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 4:02 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:04 PM – 2:44 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:19 PM – 12:39 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:22 PM – 10:42 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:32 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 71 | 81 | 88 | 95 | 102 | 116 | 111 | 107 | 108 | 95 | 84 | 69 |
| Low °F | -4 | -3 | -3 | 17 | 28 | 47 | 53 | 51 | 37 | 20 | 12 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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 state park
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Prairie Dog State Park?
What time is golden hour at Prairie Dog State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Prairie Dog State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Prairie Dog State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Prairie Dog State Park?
How far is Prairie Dog State Park from Norton?
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.