Natural Bridge State Park is a state park in Sauk County, Wisconsin. It sits roughly 17.8 km (11.1 mi) WNW of Prairie du Sac.
Natural Bridge State Park is a 530-acre (214 ha) state park of Wisconsin, United States, featuring Wisconsin's largest natural arch. Directly beneath the arch is the Raddatz Rockshelter, a rock shelter once used by Paleo-Indians and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is located southwest of Baraboo between the unincorporated communities of Leland and Denzer, in the town of Honey Creek.From the Wikipedia article “Natural Bridge State Park (Wisconsin)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Natural Bridge State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) 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) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:20 AM | 56° NE | 8:44 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 122° ESE | 4:27 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 58m |
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 | 8:15 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 20m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 41m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 23m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 05m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:37 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 43m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:13 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:58 PM | 8h 59m |
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 Natural Bridge State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 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 | 4:42 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:46 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 3:29 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:02 PM – 2:52 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:50 PM – 1:40 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 11:34 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:29 PM | 0.7 | 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 ≈ 21.38 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 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 | 65 | 78 | 81 | 91 | 97 | 104 | 98 | 94 | 85 | 72 | 63 |
| Low °F | -43 | -25 | -19 | 10 | 26 | 39 | 46 | 42 | 33 | 19 | 2 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Natural Bridge State Park, closest first.
Natural Arch
Rock Formation
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Lake
Natural Arch
Ghost TownGhost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Natural Bridge State Park?
What time is golden hour at Natural Bridge State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Natural Bridge State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Natural Bridge State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Natural Bridge State Park?
How far is Natural Bridge State Park from Prairie du Sac?
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.