Governor Dodge State Park is a state park in Iowa County, Wisconsin. The nearest town is Dodgeville, about 7.4 km (4.6 mi) away (Governor Dodge State Park lies NNE of town).
Governor Dodge State Park is a 5,270-acre (2,133 ha) Wisconsin state park outside Dodgeville in Iowa County, Wisconsin. Named after Henry Dodge, the first governor of the Wisconsin Territory, the park contains geologic features indicative of the Driftless Area. It is located 4.1 miles north of the Central business district of the City of Dodgeville. The land is mostly oak and hickory forest with some sandstone bluff outcroppings and one named waterfall, Stephen's Falls. Common activities include boating (electric motors only), fishing, picnicking and swimming on the park's two lakes, Cox Hollow Lake and Twin Valley Lake. There is a boat launch, dam and a swimming area at each of the lakes. Away from the lakes one can find hiking trails, cross-country ski trails, mountain bike trails and horse trails. Seasonal activities include hunting in the fall and snowmobiling in the winter.From the Wikipedia article “Governor Dodge State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Governor Dodge 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 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:22 AM | 56° ENE | 8:44 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 122° ESE | 4:29 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 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 | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:05 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 21m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 03m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:36 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:00 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 Governor Dodge 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 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:25 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:47 AM – 3:27 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:59 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 1:38 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:39 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.3 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 September 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 | 63 | 76 | 82 | 91 | 97 | 105 | 100 | 93 | 84 | 71 | 64 |
| Low °F | -41 | -21 | -18 | 10 | 26 | 37 | 46 | 40 | 31 | 22 | 2 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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 Governor Dodge State Park, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
Cave
State Park
State Park
State ParkNatural ArchFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Governor Dodge State Park?
What time is golden hour at Governor Dodge State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Governor Dodge State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Governor Dodge State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Governor Dodge State Park?
How far is Governor Dodge State Park from Dodgeville?
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.