Minneopa State Park is a state park in Nicollet County, Minnesota. It sits roughly 5.6 km (3.5 mi) WSW of North Mankato.
Minneopa State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was established in 1905 to preserve Minneopa Falls, a large waterfall for southern Minnesota, and was expanded in the 1960s to include the lower reaches of Minneopa Creek and a large tract of prairie. Minneopa is Minnesota's third oldest state park, after Itasca and Interstate. Two park resources are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the 1862 Seppman Mill and a district of seven Rustic Style structures built by the Works Progress Administration in the late 1930s. The park is located almost entirely on the south side of the Minnesota River, three miles (4.8 km) west of Mankato. In 2015, the state reintroduced American bison to the park in a 330-acre (130 ha) fenced enclosure, through which visitors can drive in their vehicles.From the Wikipedia article “Minneopa State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Minneopa 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) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 56° NE | 9:04 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:41 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 | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:12 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 Minneopa State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:09 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:06 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:12 AM – 3:42 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:29 PM – 2:59 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:14 PM – 1:44 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:45 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 9:38 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.11 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 46% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 64 | 82 | 90 | 96 | 98 | 106 | 101 | 97 | 87 | 79 | 55 |
| Low °F | -37 | -23 | -22 | 4 | 24 | 43 | 48 | 43 | 33 | 12 | -3 | -26 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 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
- 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
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 Minneopa State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
Natural Arch
Botanical Garden
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Minneopa State Park?
What time is golden hour at Minneopa State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Minneopa State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Minneopa State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Minneopa State Park?
How far is Minneopa State Park from North Mankato?
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.