Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights is a lighthouse in Alger County, Michigan. The nearest town is Newberry, about 51 km (32 mi) away (Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights lies NW of town). It dates from 1895. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights are a pair of lighthouses located on the west pier at the entry to Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge, in Grand Marais, Michigan. They were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.From the Wikipedia article “Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights 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) | 7:48 AM | 90° E | 7:56 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 54° NE | 9:42 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:31 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:26 AM | 125° SE | 4:59 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 | 4:34 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:57 PM | 8h 58m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:32 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:40 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 | 6:57 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 01m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:53 PM | 9:40 PM | 10:19 PM | 15h 50m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:49 PM | 9:35 PM | 10:13 PM | 15h 29m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 13m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:28 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:43 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:29 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 25m |
| December | 7:47 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:14 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 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 Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights, 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 | 6:01 AM – 6:11 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 4:04 AM – 4:54 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:10 AM – 3:50 AM | 1.7 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:32 AM – 2:52 AM | 2.3 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:09 AM – 1:49 AM | 1.7 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:57 PM – 11:47 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:42 PM – 9:42 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 August as the clearest month (about 66% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 44 | 68 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 92 | 86 | 82 | 77 | 65 | 54 |
| Low °F | -11 | -16 | -14 | 6 | 27 | 32 | 38 | 44 | 35 | 24 | 4 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 2.8 |
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
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights, closest first.
Lighthouse
Waterfall
Waterfall
Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes
LighthouseSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hurricane River Campground15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Twelvemile Beach Campground And Cabin19.4 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Backcountry Camping Permit29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights?
What time is golden hour at Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights?
How far is Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights from Newberry?
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.