Kabetogama State Forest is a state park in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. It lies in or next to Voyageurs National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 33 km (20 mi) ESE of International Falls.
The Kabetogama State Forest is a state forest located in Koochiching and Saint Louis counties, Minnesota, United States. The forest borders the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the east, the Sturgeon River State Forest to the south, the Nett Lake Indian Reservation to the west, and Voyageurs National Park to the north. The forest is managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.From the Wikipedia article “Kabetogama State Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kabetogama State Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 52° NE | 9:18 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:02 AM | 126° SE | 4:20 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 18m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:51 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 45m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 13m |
| June | 4:29 AM | 5:11 AM | 6:00 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:16 PM | 9:58 PM | 16h 05m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:50 PM | 15h 43m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 22m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:56 PM | 10h 52m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 14m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:52 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 8h 20m |
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 Kabetogama State Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:00 AM – 4:20 AM | 0.3 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:56 AM – 2:56 AM | 1.0 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:50 AM – 1:30 AM | 0.7 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 12:03 AM – 12:43 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:36 PM – 10:46 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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 55% average cloud cover) and November 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 | 39 | 46 | 78 | 79 | 89 | 93 | 101 | 99 | 93 | 80 | 67 | 39 |
| Low °F | -46 | -38 | -31 | 5 | 23 | 34 | 42 | 37 | 23 | 10 | -8 | -37 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
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
- 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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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
National Park Service rules. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Kabetogama State Forest, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Dark Sky Place
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
Fire LookoutWaterfallWaterfall
Lake
Fire LookoutFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kabetogama State Forest?
What time is golden hour at Kabetogama State Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kabetogama State Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kabetogama State Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kabetogama State Forest?
How far is Kabetogama State Forest from International 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.