Whitewater State Park is a state park in Winona County, Minnesota. It sits roughly 9.9 km (6.2 mi) N of Saint Charles.
Whitewater State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, preserving a stretch of the Whitewater River surrounded by rocky bluffs. It is located in Winona County in the southeastern blufflands area of the state. The 2,700-acre (11 km2) park features scenic overlooks and trout fishing in the spring-fed Whitewater River and Trout Run Creek. It has about 300,000 visitors annually, and is located 7 miles (11 km) north of St. Charles on Minnesota State Highway 74, which runs through the park.From the Wikipedia article “Whitewater State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Whitewater 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 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 56° NE | 8:56 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 123° ESE | 4:33 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 53m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:25 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:04 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 Whitewater 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:01 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 4:37 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:02 AM – 3:32 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:18 PM – 2:58 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:04 PM – 1:34 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:06 PM – 11:36 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:29 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.4 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 47% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 57 | 78 | 84 | 92 | 93 | 104 | 98 | 95 | 83 | 73 | 62 |
| Low °F | -36 | -28 | -24 | 7 | 25 | 39 | 47 | 42 | 32 | 13 | -5 | -30 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Whitewater State Park, closest first.
State Park
State Park
State Park
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
CaveGhost TownScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Whitewater State Park?
What time is golden hour at Whitewater State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Whitewater State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Whitewater State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Whitewater State Park?
How far is Whitewater State Park from Saint Charles?
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.