Located in Cook County, Minnesota, Grand Marais Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 700 m SSW of Grand Marais. Its recorded tower height is about 10 m (33 ft). It dates from 1886.
Grand Marais Light is located on the outer end of a breakwater on the shore of Lake Superior in the city of Grand Marais in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. It is located in USCG District 9. The tower was first lit in 1922 and is still operational. The original keeper's house on shore is now operated as the main museum of the Cook County Historical Society. The museum features exhibits on area history, industry and culture.From the Wikipedia article “Grand Marais Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grand Marais Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:04 AM | 53° NE | 9:04 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 125° SE | 4:12 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 24m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:36 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:12 PM | 8h 51m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 16m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:48 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 08m |
| June | 4:22 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:52 AM | 8:14 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 59m |
| July | 4:40 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 38m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:46 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:00 PM | 9h 18m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:17 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:47 PM | 8h 26m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:36 AM – 4:06 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:37 AM – 2:57 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:11 AM – 1:51 AM | 1.7 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:40 PM – 12:50 AM | 1.2 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:20 PM – 10:50 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 3.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 62% 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 | 41 | 40 | 58 | 66 | 70 | 71 | 84 | 82 | 78 | 67 | 57 | 45 |
| Low °F | -18 | -17 | -17 | 10 | 27 | 36 | 42 | 47 | 37 | 25 | 7 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Light, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
Lake
Waterfall
Mountain PeakState ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grand Marais Light?
What time is golden hour at Grand Marais Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grand Marais Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grand Marais Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grand Marais Light?
How far is Grand Marais Light from Grand Marais?
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.