Located in Saint Croix County, Wisconsin, Willow River State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 6.2 km (3.9 mi) ENE of North Hudson.
Willow River State Park is a 2,891-acre (1,170 ha) Wisconsin state park located five miles (8 km) north of Hudson. The centerpiece of the park is Willow Falls, a powerful cascade in a 200-foot (61 m) deep gorge. Another popular feature is Little Falls Lake, a shallow reservoir on the Willow River. Because of its proximity to Minneapolis-St. Paul it is one of the most visited state parks in Wisconsin. Trilobite fossils found in the lower layers of the gorge indicate the rock is around 600 million years old.From the Wikipedia article “Willow River State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Willow River State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 55° NE | 9:02 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 123° ESE | 4:32 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Willow River State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:12 AM – 3:22 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:33 PM – 2:43 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:24 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:24 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.02 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 44 | 56 | 77 | 83 | 89 | 96 | 105 | 100 | 94 | 84 | 70 | 59 |
| Low °F | -41 | -28 | -33 | 3 | 24 | 39 | 45 | 42 | 30 | 10 | -10 | -30 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Willow River State Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
State Park
Lake
LakeWaterfall
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Willow River State Park?
What time is golden hour at Willow River State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Willow River State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Willow River State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Willow River State Park?
How far is Willow River State Park from North Hudson?
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.