Aztalan State Park — a state park in Jefferson County, Wisconsin — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 800 m S of Aztalan. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Aztalan State Park is a state park in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. Established in 1952, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The park covers 172 acres (70 ha) along the Crawfish River. Aztalan is the site of an ancient Mississippian culture settlement that flourished during the 10th to 13th centuries. The indigenous people constructed massive earthwork mounds for religious and political purposes. They were part of a widespread culture with important settlements throughout the Mississippi River valley and its tributaries. Their trading network extended from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast, and into the Southeast of the present-day United States.From the Wikipedia article “Aztalan State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Aztalan State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (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) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 56° ENE | 8:39 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 122° ESE | 4:24 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 9h 00m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 21m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 21m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 04m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 58m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:31 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 01m |
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 Aztalan State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:36 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:40 AM – 4:20 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:42 AM – 3:22 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:54 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 1:33 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 11:28 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:34 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 20.3 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 64 | 78 | 81 | 90 | 96 | 103 | 96 | 93 | 85 | 72 | 64 |
| Low °F | -43 | -24 | -19 | 11 | 26 | 39 | 45 | 42 | 33 | 18 | 0 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Aztalan State Park, closest first.
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Lake
State Park
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Lake
Lake
Botanical Garden
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Aztalan State Park?
What time is golden hour at Aztalan State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Aztalan State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Aztalan State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Aztalan State Park?
How far is Aztalan State Park from Aztalan?
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.