Located in Freeborn County, Minnesota, Myre-Big Island State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 5.0 km (3.1 mi) ESE of Albert Lea.
Myre-Big Island State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, just outside the city of Albert Lea. It has an area of 1,578 acres (6.39 km2). The park protects 8 miles (13 km) of shoreline on Albert Lea Lake. The nucleus of the park is Big Island, a 117-acre (0.47 km2) island attached to the mainland by a causeway. In turn a causeway connects Big Island to Little Island. The park was formerly named Helmer Myre State Park after former Minnesota State Senator Helmer Myre.From the Wikipedia article “Myre-Big Island State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Myre-Big Island 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 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 56° NE | 8:59 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 123° ESE | 4:40 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:29 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:28 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:11 PM | 8h 57m |
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 Myre-Big Island 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 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 4:41 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:05 AM – 3:35 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:20 PM – 3:00 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:07 PM – 1:47 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 11:40 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 9:43 PM | 0.7 | 14° | 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: 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 ≈ 20.38 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 September 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 | 49 | 62 | 79 | 86 | 94 | 99 | 105 | 100 | 96 | 84 | 75 | 64 |
| Low °F | -36 | -21 | -17 | 6 | 24 | 42 | 46 | 42 | 33 | 18 | -4 | -23 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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.
- 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 Myre-Big Island State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Myre-Big Island State Park?
What time is golden hour at Myre-Big Island State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Myre-Big Island State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Myre-Big Island State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Myre-Big Island State Park?
How far is Myre-Big Island State Park from Albert Lea?
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.