Located in Menominee County, Wisconsin, Perote is a ghost town at about 382 m (1,253 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Keshena, about 27 km (17 mi) away (Perote lies NNW of town).
Perote is a ghost town in Menominee County, Wisconsin, United States. Perote was located in the town of Menominee, 5 miles (8.0 km) south-southwest of White Lake. The town was marked on USGS maps as late as 1952. Perote was located along the railroad and was named for John Baptist Perrote (or "Sabatis"), a Menominee judge.From the Wikipedia article “Perote, Wisconsin”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Perote the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (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) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:09 AM | 55° NE | 8:47 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 123° ESE | 4:17 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 45m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:18 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 4:53 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:39 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:28 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:17 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:49 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Perote, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:59 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:58 AM – 4:18 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:56 AM – 3:06 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:17 PM – 2:27 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 1:11 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 11:08 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 9:08 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.78 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 43 | 54 | 75 | 78 | 85 | 88 | 93 | 92 | 87 | 80 | 68 | 57 |
| Low °F | -38 | -29 | -22 | 0 | 24 | 34 | 43 | 39 | 28 | 14 | -11 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
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 ghost town
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Perote, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Boulder Lake14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Boot Lake Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Bagley Rapids Campground28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Perote?
What time is golden hour at Perote?
Where does the sun rise and set at Perote?
Can you see the Milky Way from Perote?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Perote?
How far is Perote from Keshena?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.