Overlook Lake Park — a scenic viewpoint in Hennepin County, Minnesota at about 239 m (784 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Savage, about 2.0 km (1.2 mi) away (Overlook Lake Park lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Overlook Lake 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 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 55° NE | 9:04 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:36 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 47m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 11m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:12 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 34m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 15m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:08 PM | 8h 49m |
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 Overlook Lake Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:35 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:12 AM – 3:32 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:31 PM – 2:51 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 1:36 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:35 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:36 PM | 0.5 | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.43 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 46% 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 | 50 | 61 | 80 | 89 | 96 | 96 | 107 | 100 | 96 | 87 | 78 | 61 |
| Low °F | -37 | -27 | -23 | 4 | 24 | 41 | 46 | 43 | 32 | 12 | -4 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Overlook Lake Park, closest first.
Lake
Lake
National Wildlife Refuge
Lake
Lake
Lake
State Park
Lake
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Overlook Lake Park?
What time is golden hour at Overlook Lake Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Overlook Lake Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Overlook Lake Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Overlook Lake Park?
How far is Overlook Lake Park from Savage?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.