The Headlands is a dark sky place in Cheboygan County, Michigan. It sits roughly 10.2 km (6.3 mi) SSW of Saint Ignace. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
The Headlands International Dark Sky Park is a 550-acre (220 ha) county park in the U.S. state of Michigan. The park preserves over 2 mi (3.2 km) of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline south and west of McGulpin Point Light in the Straits of Mackinac. It is located in, and is operated by, Emmet County in Northern Michigan. The nearest town is Mackinaw City, Michigan. The park contains woodlands and many species of rare and endangered plant life. Park fauna include the black bear, whitetail deer, coyotes, bald eagles, osprey, and the wild turkey. Marked trails are provided for hiking, photography, bicycling and cross-country skiing. In May 2011, Headlands Park was awarded International Dark Sky Park designation by the International Dark-Sky Association. It was the 6th such park in the United States, and the 9th such park worldwide, to be awarded this designation. Park signage...From the Wikipedia article “The Headlands”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Headlands the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:52 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 54° NE | 9:33 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:18 AM | 124° SE | 4:58 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:44 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:25 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:32 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:31 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:42 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:37 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:25 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:40 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:30 PM | 8h 42m |
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 The Headlands, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:44 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:46 AM – 3:46 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:11 AM – 3:01 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:52 PM – 1:52 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:46 PM – 11:46 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:34 PM – 9:44 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 61% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (81%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 44 | 55 | 75 | 74 | 82 | 85 | 91 | 88 | 86 | 82 | 69 | 58 |
| Low °F | -15 | -18 | -10 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 44 | 46 | 37 | 28 | 13 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
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 dark sky place
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of The Headlands, closest first.
Lighthouse
Sand Dunes
Lake
LighthouseSand DunesSand DunesSand Dunes
State ParkSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lake Michigan At St. Ignace27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Carp River Campground28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Brevoort Lake Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph The Headlands?
What time is golden hour at The Headlands?
Where does the sun rise and set at The Headlands?
Can you see the Milky Way from The Headlands?
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Headlands?
How far is The Headlands from Saint Ignace?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.