Located in Alger County, Michigan, Au Sable Light is a lighthouse. It lies in or next to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Munising, about 49 km (30 mi) away (Au Sable Light lies NE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 27 m (89 ft). It dates from 1874. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Au Sable Light is an active lighthouse in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore west of Grand Marais, Michigan off H-58. Until 1910, this aid to navigation was called "Big Sable Light" (not to be confused with Big Sable Point Light near Ludington, Michigan on Lake Michigan or Little Sable Point Light south of Pentwater, Michigan).From the Wikipedia article “Au Sable Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
Located within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, this picturesque lighthouse stands on Au Sable Point on the south shore of Lake Superior, approximately 12 miles west of Grand Marais, Michigan.
Built in 1873-1874, the light tower's base diameter is 16 feet with a height of 86 feet. The tower extends 23 feet underground and is anchored in bedrock. A brick oil building and fog signal building were built in the 1890s. All of the buildings on site, along with the tower and keepers' quarters, make up the light station .
The original keepers' dwelling was attached to the light tower in the back. In 1909, a new residence was built for the head keeper and the existing building expanded so it could accommodate two assistant keepers and their families. One family lived upstairs and one downstairs, with separate entrances. In 1945 the U.S. Coast Guard took over, replacing the civilian keepers. In total, the light station was continually staffed for 84 years, until the Coast Guard left in 1958.
A third-order Fresnel lens reflected the first light, which was fueled initially by lard oil and then by kerosene. The fixed white beam could be seen 17 miles out on the lake. The lighthouse became fully automated in 1958 and transferred from the Coast Guard to the National Park Service in 1968. The lighthouse still operates - a smaller, solar-powered light now sits on the catwalk railing and shines over Lake Superior every evening. Visiting the Au Sable Light Station To visit the Au Sable Light Station, drive to the lower Hurricane River Campground located 12 miles west of Grand Marais on Alger County Road H-58. Park in the day-use area.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Au Sable Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:49 AM | 90° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 54° NE | 9:43 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:32 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:27 AM | 125° SE | 5:00 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 33m |
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
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:51 AM | 8:25 AM | 9:14 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 8h 58m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:32 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 20m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:38 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 01m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:54 PM | 9:41 PM | 10:20 PM | 15h 49m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:50 PM | 9:36 PM | 10:13 PM | 15h 29m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 13m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:32 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:44 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:30 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 25m |
| December | 7:48 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:14 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:33 PM | 8h 35m |
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 Au Sable Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 6:02 AM – 6:12 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 4:05 AM – 4:55 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:11 AM – 3:51 AM | 1.7 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:33 AM – 2:53 AM | 2.3 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:10 AM – 1:50 AM | 1.7 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:58 PM – 11:48 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:43 PM – 9:43 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ 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 68% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). August 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 | 40 | 45 | 67 | 69 | 80 | 82 | 90 | 85 | 83 | 77 | 63 | 53 |
| Low °F | -12 | -17 | -12 | 10 | 28 | 33 | 41 | 45 | 35 | 25 | 8 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.0 |
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 lighthouse
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Au Sable Light, closest first.
Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes
Waterfall
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
BeachSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hurricane River Campground2.3 km (1.4 mi) · reservable
- Twelvemile Beach Campground And Cabin7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Backcountry Camping Permit17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Little Beaver Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Au Sable Light?
What time is golden hour at Au Sable Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Au Sable Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Au Sable Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Au Sable Light?
How far is Au Sable Light from Munising?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, 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.