White River Light is a lighthouse in Muskegon County, Michigan. It sits roughly 7.2 km (4.5 mi) SW of Montague. Its recorded tower height is about 12 m (38 ft).
The White River Light is a lighthouse on Lake Michigan near the city of Whitehall, Michigan. It sits on a thin peninsula of land separating Lake Michigan from White Lake. The building was built in 1875. Some of the buildings in existence for the lightstation consisted of the tower and attached dwelling, the South Pier-head Beacon light, oil house, woodshed or storage building and Privy. It is one of four lighthouses that are operated by the Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association. Captain William Robinson was the first lighthouse keeper, working there for 47 years. He lived there with his wife and thirteen children. His residence was built out of limestone, the same material used to build the attached forty-foot tower. Towards the end of his life, Robinson walked with a cane. The lighthouse is said to be haunted, with people hearing the tapping of Robinson's cane. Frances...From the Wikipedia article “White River Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At White River Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:50 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 56° NE | 9:30 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:34 AM | 89° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:16 AM | 122° ESE | 5:13 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 57m |
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 | 7:44 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:01 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 19m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:25 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:46 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 7:30 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:37 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 41m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 23m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:25 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 06m |
| August | 6:21 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:21 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:39 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 43m |
| December | 7:40 AM | 8:12 AM | 8:59 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:44 PM | 8h 59m |
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 White River Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:28 AM – 6:18 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:32 AM – 5:12 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:35 AM – 4:15 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:48 PM – 3:38 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:36 PM – 2:26 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:40 PM – 12:20 AM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:35 PM – 10:15 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.21 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 64% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (85%). 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 | 50 | 53 | 71 | 69 | 81 | 85 | 91 | 88 | 85 | 78 | 66 | 58 |
| Low °F | -6 | -12 | -9 | 17 | 27 | 36 | 48 | 49 | 41 | 29 | 15 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 White River Light, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph White River Light?
What time is golden hour at White River Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at White River Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from White River Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at White River Light?
How far is White River Light from Montague?
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.