Monson Lake State Park is a state park in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. The nearest town is New London, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Monson Lake State Park lies W of town).
Monson Lake State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, originally established as a memorial to 13 Swedish American pioneers who were killed there in the Dakota War of 1862. A district of 1930s New Deal structures is on the National Register of Historic Places. Despite being nearly doubled in size in 2009, the state park remains one of Minnesota's smallest. It is located off Minnesota State Highway 9 just west of Sunburg and 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Willmar. This seasonally-staffed park is managed from nearby Sibley State Park.From the Wikipedia article “Monson Lake State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Monson Lake State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 55° NE | 9:13 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:58 AM | 124° ESE | 4:42 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 43m |
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 | 7:57 AM | 8:44 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 07m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 53m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 38m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 19m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 32m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:44 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:14 PM | 8h 45m |
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 Monson Lake State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:26 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:25 AM – 4:45 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:24 AM – 3:34 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:46 PM – 2:56 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:29 PM – 1:39 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 11:35 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 9:35 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 December 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 | 48 | 61 | 80 | 90 | 96 | 99 | 108 | 102 | 97 | 86 | 73 | 51 |
| Low °F | -44 | -29 | -22 | 4 | 24 | 41 | 46 | 41 | 30 | 7 | -7 | -28 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Monson Lake State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Monson Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Monson Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Monson Lake State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Monson Lake State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Monson Lake State Park?
How far is Monson Lake State Park from New London?
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.