South Manitou Island Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Leelanau County, Michigan. It lies in or next to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Frankfort, about 43 km (27 mi) away (South Manitou Island Lighthouse lies NNE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 20 m (66 ft). It dates from 1840. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
South Manitou Island Lighthouse is located on South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan, 16 miles (26 km) west of Leland, Michigan. It is in Leelanau County in western Northern Michigan.From the Wikipedia article “South Manitou Island Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At South Manitou Island Lighthouse 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 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:48 AM | 90° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 55° NE | 9:35 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:32 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:20 AM | 123° ESE | 5:06 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:47 AM | 8:20 AM | 9:06 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:29 PM | 6:02 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 7:29 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:37 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:41 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:48 PM | 9:34 PM | 10:11 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:05 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:41 AM | 6:21 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 8h 47m |
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 South Manitou Island Lighthouse, 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 | 5:48 AM – 6:08 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:45 AM – 3:55 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:06 AM – 3:16 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 | 9:38 PM – 9:58 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 4.5+ 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 61% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 42 | 52 | 53 | 63 | 73 | 79 | 79 | 74 | 68 | 59 | 52 |
| Low °F | -4 | -7 | -3 | 16 | 31 | 37 | 49 | 54 | 44 | 35 | 18 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 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 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
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 South Manitou Island Lighthouse, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes
LakeSand Dunes
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- South Manitou Group Campground588 m · reservable
- Popple Campground - South Manitou Island4.7 km (2.9 mi)
- D.H. Day Group Campground13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- D.H. Day Campground13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Village Campground - North Manitou Island16.3 km (10.1 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph South Manitou Island Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at South Manitou Island Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at South Manitou Island Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from South Manitou Island Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at South Manitou Island Lighthouse?
How far is South Manitou Island Lighthouse from Frankfort?
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.