Lake Shetek State Park is a state park in Murray County, Minnesota. The nearest town is Slayton, about 13.9 km (8.6 mi) away (Lake Shetek State Park lies NNE of town).
Lake Shetek State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, on Lake Shetek, which is the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota and the headwaters of the Des Moines River. It is most popular for water recreation and camping. However the park also contains historical resources related to the Dakota War of 1862, including an original log cabin and a monument to 15 white settlers killed there and at nearby Slaughter Slough on August 20, 1862. The park and lake were developed by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. Two districts of park structures built in the National Park Service rustic style are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Shetek State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Shetek State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 56° NE | 9:10 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 123° ESE | 4:48 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 52m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:19 PM | 8h 54m |
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 Lake Shetek State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:12 AM – 4:52 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:17 AM – 3:47 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:33 PM – 3:13 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:49 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 11:51 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 9:44 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 51 | 67 | 82 | 90 | 94 | 99 | 105 | 101 | 97 | 86 | 77 | 55 |
| Low °F | -39 | -21 | -21 | 6 | 24 | 42 | 48 | 42 | 33 | 11 | -4 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Lake Shetek State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Shetek State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Shetek State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Shetek State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Shetek State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Shetek State Park?
How far is Lake Shetek State Park from Slayton?
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.