Wheelbarrow Falls is a waterfall in Lake County, Minnesota at about 385 m (1,263 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 27 km (17 mi) NNE of Ely.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wheelbarrow Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:07 AM | 52° NE | 9:11 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:55 AM | 126° SE | 5:16 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 21m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:18 AM | 8:53 AM | 9:44 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:16 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 7:42 AM | 8:14 AM | 8:59 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:26 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:56 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:51 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 7:40 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:03 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 8:15 AM | 8:51 AM | 9:45 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:51 PM | 8h 23m |
Local time (America/Atikokan), 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 Wheelbarrow Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:43 AM – 4:13 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:45 AM – 2:55 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:24 AM – 1:44 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:50 PM – 12:50 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:28 PM – 10:48 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.0+ 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 56% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 35 | 42 | 77 | 77 | 85 | 91 | 98 | 96 | 90 | 79 | 65 | 40 |
| Low °F | -48 | -40 | -29 | 5 | 21 | 32 | 41 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -8 | -39 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 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 waterfall
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Wheelbarrow Falls, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wheelbarrow Falls?
What time is golden hour at Wheelbarrow Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wheelbarrow Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wheelbarrow Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wheelbarrow Falls?
How far is Wheelbarrow Falls from Ely?
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.