Overlook Spring is a scenic viewpoint in McKenzie County, North Dakota at about 637 m (2,090 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Watford City, about 25 km (15 mi) away (Overlook Spring lies SSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Overlook Spring the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:58 AM | 89° E | 8:06 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 53° NE | 9:56 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:41 AM | 89° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:40 AM | 125° SE | 5:05 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 25m |
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 | 8:03 AM | 8:38 AM | 9:28 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 7:29 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:44 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 7:37 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:49 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:30 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:16 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:25 PM | 10:01 PM | 15h 08m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:44 AM | 9:06 PM | 9:54 PM | 10:35 PM | 15h 58m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:59 AM | 9:02 PM | 9:49 PM | 10:27 PM | 15h 36m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:42 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:39 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:42 AM | 8:13 AM | 8:55 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 7:26 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:47 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 19m |
| December | 8:00 AM | 8:36 AM | 9:29 AM | 4:11 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:39 PM | 8h 27m |
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 Spring, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | 6:23 AM – 6:23 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 4:28 AM – 5:08 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:27 AM – 3:47 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:58 AM – 2:48 AM | 1.8 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 12:29 AM – 1:49 AM | 1.3 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 11:12 PM – 11:42 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.91 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 43% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 57 | 66 | 78 | 90 | 95 | 105 | 108 | 107 | 100 | 90 | 73 | 56 |
| Low °F | -26 | -27 | -19 | 1 | 23 | 37 | 47 | 42 | 28 | 6 | -9 | -26 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
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 Spring, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Juniper Campground Group Site (Nd)7.8 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Ccc Campground (Nd)12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Sather Lake Campground (Nd)29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Overlook Spring?
What time is golden hour at Overlook Spring?
Where does the sun rise and set at Overlook Spring?
Can you see the Milky Way from Overlook Spring?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Overlook Spring?
How far is Overlook Spring from Watford City?
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.