Located in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, Northwest Angle State Forest is a state park. It sits roughly 53 km (33 mi) NNE of Warroad.
The Northwest Angle State Forest is a state forest located in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. The name of the forest is derived from its location near the Northwest Angle, the northernmost point of the contiguous United States, which is also an exclave. The forest borders the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, and the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The forest is managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Tree species of the forest are Tamarack, Black Spruce, Eastern White Pine, Red Pine, Northern Whitecedar, and Paper Birch. Popular outdoor recreational activities are hunting, fishing and boating on Lake of the Woods, birdwatching, and dispersed camping. Trails are designated for hiking; all motorized recreation is prohibited, with the exception of snowmobiling in the wintertime.From the Wikipedia article “Northwest Angle State Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Northwest Angle State Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 51° (NE) at the June solstice and 127° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 309° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 64° in summer but only 17° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 51° NE | 9:30 PM | 309° NW | 64° | 16h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:07 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 272° W | 41° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:13 AM | 127° SE | 4:24 PM | 234° SW | 17° | 8h 11m |
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 | 7:34 AM | 8:10 AM | 9:03 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:25 PM | 8h 39m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 10m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 43m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 19m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:14 AM | 6:05 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:11 PM | 16h 14m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:22 PM | 10:03 PM | 15h 51m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 26m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 38m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:25 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 10h 50m |
| November | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:21 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 08m |
| December | 7:32 AM | 8:09 AM | 9:06 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 8h 13m |
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 Northwest Angle State Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through June. June gives the longest window (about 2.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| April | 4:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:23 AM – 2:53 AM | 0.5 | 11° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:23 AM – 2:43 AM | 2.3 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:27 AM – 12:47 AM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 2.5+ 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 58% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 35 | 36 | 70 | 75 | 84 | 89 | 92 | 91 | 86 | 76 | 58 | 36 |
| Low °F | -47 | -47 | -37 | -4 | 25 | 39 | 47 | 41 | 28 | 6 | -17 | -45 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 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
- 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 Northwest Angle State Forest, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Northwest Angle State Forest?
What time is golden hour at Northwest Angle State Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Northwest Angle State Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Northwest Angle State Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Northwest Angle State Forest?
How far is Northwest Angle State Forest from Warroad?
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.