Grand Traverse Light is a lighthouse in Leelanau County, Michigan. It is part of Leelanau State Park. The nearest town is Charlevoix, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Grand Traverse Light lies WSW of town). It dates from 1852. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Grand Traverse Light is a lighthouse in the U.S. state of Michigan, located at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, which separates Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay. It marks the Manitou passage, where Lake Michigan elides into Grand Traverse Bay. In 1858, the present light was built, replacing a separate round tower built in 1852. The lighthouse is located inside Leelanau State Park, 8 miles (13 km) north of Northport, a town of about 650 people. This area, in the Michigan wine country, is commonly visited by tourists during the summer months.From the Wikipedia article “Grand Traverse Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grand Traverse Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (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) | 7:46 AM | 90° E | 7:55 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 55° NE | 9:34 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:30 AM | 89° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:19 AM | 124° ESE | 5:03 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 44m |
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 | 7:45 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:26 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:35 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:18 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:27 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 52m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:47 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 37m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:44 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 18m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:25 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:39 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 33m |
| December | 7:41 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:12 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 8h 46m |
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 Traverse Light, 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 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:47 AM – 6:07 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:46 AM – 5:06 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:45 AM – 3:55 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:07 AM – 3:17 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:50 PM – 2:00 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:47 PM – 11:57 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:36 PM – 9:56 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 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%). 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 | 43 | 41 | 55 | 60 | 67 | 73 | 78 | 78 | 75 | 73 | 60 | 55 |
| Low °F | 1 | -10 | -3 | 15 | 31 | 37 | 49 | 54 | 44 | 35 | 18 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.5 |
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
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Grand Traverse Light, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grand Traverse Light?
What time is golden hour at Grand Traverse Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grand Traverse Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grand Traverse Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grand Traverse Light?
How far is Grand Traverse Light from Charlevoix?
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.