Located in Lenawee County, Michigan, Hidden Lake Gardens is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Clinton, about 12.1 km (7.5 mi) away (Hidden Lake Gardens lies WSW of town).
Hidden Lake Gardens colloquially known as Hidden Lake 755 acres (3.06 km2), is a botanical garden and an arboretum operated by Michigan State University situated in the Irish Hills of southeast Michigan. The Gardens are known for their large collection of native and nonnative trees, shrubs and flowers. HLG was given to Michigan State University by Harry Fee in 1945. Today it is visited by nearly 45,000 people annually.From the Wikipedia article “Hidden Lake Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hidden Lake Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 57° ENE | 9:16 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:02 AM | 122° ESE | 5:09 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 07m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:32 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:01 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:26 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 13m |
| July | 5:41 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:45 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:09 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:27 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:27 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 08m |
Local time (America/Detroit), 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 Hidden Lake Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 6:06 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:08 AM – 5:08 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 1:17 AM – 4:17 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:26 PM – 3:46 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 2:26 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 12:25 AM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 9:23 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.01 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 (81%). 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 | 60 | 65 | 82 | 80 | 89 | 97 | 102 | 98 | 95 | 88 | 76 | 65 |
| Low °F | -18 | -20 | -12 | 4 | 24 | 36 | 41 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 8 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
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 botanical garden
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Hidden Lake Gardens, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lake
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hidden Lake Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Hidden Lake Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hidden Lake Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hidden Lake Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hidden Lake Gardens?
How far is Hidden Lake Gardens from Clinton?
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.