Copper Falls State Park — a state park in Ashland County, Wisconsin — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 30 km (19 mi) SE of Ashland. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Copper Falls State Park is a state park in Ashland County, Wisconsin, United States. It contains a section of the Bad River and its tributary the Tylers Forks, which flow through a gorge and drop over several waterfalls. Old Copper complex peoples and later European settlers mined copper in the area. The state park was created in 1929 and amenities were developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration. In 2005, the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a site with 10 contributing properties.From the Wikipedia article “Copper Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Copper Falls State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (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) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 54° NE | 8:59 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 124° SE | 4:19 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 35m |
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 | 7:42 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 00m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 59m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:57 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 47m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 27m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 12m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 26m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:52 PM | 8h 37m |
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 Copper Falls State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:17 AM – 3:07 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 2:17 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:25 PM – 1:05 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:05 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 9:00 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ 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 December as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 42 | 52 | 72 | 76 | 86 | 89 | 98 | 93 | 89 | 80 | 68 | 54 |
| Low °F | -25 | -24 | -24 | 9 | 25 | 36 | 44 | 44 | 33 | 18 | 1 | -16 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 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 Copper Falls State Park, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Waterfall
National ForestWaterfall
Sand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mineral Lake17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Lake Three17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Beaver Lake (Chequamegon-Nicolet Nf, Wi)19.9 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Namekagon22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- East Twin26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Copper Falls State Park?
What time is golden hour at Copper Falls State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Copper Falls State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Copper Falls State Park?
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How far is Copper Falls State Park from Ashland?
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.