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The first time I saw the northern lights from Pierce County, I almost missed it. It looked like a gray cloud on the northern horizon until I held up my phone and the screen lit up pink and green. Ten minutes later, pillars were dancing over the field, and I was standing in the cold in my slippers, texting everyone I knew.
You don’t have to drive to Duluth or the Boundary Waters to see the aurora. On the right night, it shows up right here, half an hour from St. Paul. Here’s what you need to know to chase it this winter from Prescott, from reading the forecast to where to park and what to do when it shows up.
The sun runs on an 11-year cycle, and scientists believe the current cycle peaked around October 2024. That means activity is slowly winding down, but some of the strongest storms in history happened during the declining years of a cycle. We’ve had big ones recently: the huge storm of May 2024, a strong storm in November 2025, and a geomagnetic storm watch in early October 2026 that put Minnesota and Wisconsin on the list of states with a good chance. In other words, it’s still very much worth watching this winter.
The number to watch is the Kp index, a scale from 0 to 9 that measures geomagnetic activity. At Prescott’s latitude, about 45 degrees north, a Kp of around 5 can produce a glow on the northern horizon, especially when the magnetic field carried by the solar wind (the “Bz”) turns strongly southward. A Kp of 7 or more is the kind of night when the lights spread overhead and people as far south as Iowa see them.
Good sources to follow:
Insider tip: Forecasts are educated guesses. Some of the best shows come on nights with a modest forecast, so if the data looks promising and the sky is clear, go look.
The most important thing is a dark, open view to the north. The Twin Cities light dome sits to the northwest of Prescott, so the farther you get from town and the metro, the better.
Some of my favorite viewing has been simply pulling off a quiet country road east or south of Prescott with farm fields to the north. Pick a safe spot well off the road, turn off your headlights and give your eyes time to adjust.
About 15 minutes north of Prescott, Kinnickinnic State Park sits where the Kinnickinnic River meets the St. Croix, and night-sky photographers have shot here for years. You’ll need a Wisconsin state park vehicle pass, and Wisconsin state parks generally close at 11 p.m., so check the park’s hours before you go.
Head south on Highway 35 toward Maiden Rock and Stockholm and you leave most of the light behind. Use the established scenic pull-offs rather than the road shoulder, and stay well back from any bluff edges in the dark.
Willow River State Park near Hudson, Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls and Afton State Park on the Minnesota side are also popular with sky watchers. Each has its own hours and permit rules, so check before you go.
Long, dark winter nights from November through February give you the most hours of darkness, though the aurora can show up any time of year. The moon matters too: a new moon or a moon that sets early makes faint displays much easier to see.
There’s something perfect about coming back from a cold night under the aurora to a warm room on the river. In the morning, sleep in, then walk down Broad Street to The Kitchen Table for a North Pole Mocha and a Hangover Hash, or warm up in the loft at the Twisted Oak. More ideas in my cozy winter drinks guide.
Make downtown Prescott your home base and book direct with us: The Port of Prescott for boutique king suites steps from the river, Port After Dark for romantic suites made for couples, The Harbor Hotel for themed rooms and extended stays, and The Cove Guest House for downtown condos and group getaways.
