Fort Abraham Lincoln — a state park in Burleigh County, North Dakota — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.0 km (4.3 mi) SW of Bismarck.
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is a North Dakota state park located 7 miles (11 km) south of Mandan, North Dakota, United States. The park is home to the replica Mandan On-A-Slant Indian Village and reconstructed military buildings including the Custer House.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Abraham Lincoln”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Abraham Lincoln the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:47 AM | 89° E | 7:56 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 54° NE | 9:42 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:31 AM | 89° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:26 AM | 125° SE | 4:58 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 32m |
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 | 7:51 AM | 8:25 AM | 9:13 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:56 PM | 8h 58m |
| February | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:31 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 20m |
| March | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:37 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 02m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:53 PM | 9:40 PM | 10:19 PM | 15h 50m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:49 PM | 9:35 PM | 10:13 PM | 15h 30m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 14m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:28 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:43 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:28 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 24m |
| December | 7:47 AM | 8:22 AM | 9:14 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:32 PM | 8h 34m |
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 Fort Abraham Lincoln, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | 6° | — |
| March | 6:00 AM – 6:10 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 4:03 AM – 4:53 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:09 AM – 3:49 AM | 1.7 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:31 AM – 2:51 AM | 2.3 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:08 AM – 1:48 AM | 1.7 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:56 PM – 11:46 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:41 PM – 9:41 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 52 | 65 | 80 | 91 | 96 | 111 | 110 | 105 | 101 | 91 | 71 | 52 |
| Low °F | -37 | -27 | -18 | 3 | 24 | 36 | 46 | 44 | 31 | 8 | -5 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Abraham Lincoln?
What time is golden hour at Fort Abraham Lincoln?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Abraham Lincoln?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Abraham Lincoln?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Abraham Lincoln?
How far is Fort Abraham Lincoln from Bismarck?
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.