Located in Lake County, South Dakota, Lake Herman State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 4.5 km (2.8 mi) WSW of Madison.
Lake Herman State Park is a South Dakota state park in Lake County, South Dakota in the United States. The park is open for year-round recreation including camping, swimming, fishing, hiking and boating on the 1,350-acre Lake Herman. There are 72 campsites which feature electric hook-ups and 4 cabins.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Herman State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Herman 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) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 56° NE | 9:16 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 123° ESE | 4:54 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 | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:50 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:23 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:45 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:25 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Lake Herman 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | 5:22 AM – 6:02 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:23 AM – 3:53 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 3:19 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:25 PM – 1:55 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:27 PM – 11:57 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:20 PM – 9:50 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.86 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 43% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 57 | 72 | 85 | 92 | 98 | 104 | 111 | 105 | 101 | 89 | 78 | 57 |
| Low °F | -28 | -18 | -19 | 7 | 23 | 42 | 48 | 46 | 34 | 10 | 1 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Herman State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Herman State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Herman State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Herman State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Herman State Park?
How far is Lake Herman State Park from Madison?
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.