Chequamegon Point Light — a lighthouse in Ashland County, Wisconsin — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Washburn, about 8.9 km (5.5 mi) away (Chequamegon Point Light lies NE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 11 m (36 ft). It dates from 1897.
The Chequamegon Point Light is a lighthouse located at the western tip of Long Island, within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, in Ashland County, Wisconsin. Built in 1897, the tower served to guide ships into Chequamegon Bay, toward the harbors of Ashland and Washburn, Wisconsin. The point of land where the tower sits has been subject to problems with erosion throughout the tower’s existence, and in 2026, the National Park Service announced plans to dismantle the structure. The lighthouse consists of a 42-foot skeletal steel tower standing on a concrete base, supporting an enclosed watch room and surmounted by an octagonal lantern. As originally built, the tower was equipped with a fourth order Fresnel lens and a mechanical fog bell.From the Wikipedia article “Chequamegon Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chequamegon Point Light 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) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:10 AM | 54° NE | 9:01 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 125° SE | 4:18 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 32m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:16 PM | 8h 58m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:28 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 20m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 02m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:57 AM | 8:12 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 50m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 30m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 13m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 24m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:16 PM | 4:52 PM | 8h 34m |
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 Chequamegon Point Light, 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 2 (typical truly dark 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 | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:23 AM – 4:13 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:29 AM – 3:09 AM | 1.7 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:51 PM – 2:11 AM | 2.3 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:28 PM – 1:08 AM | 1.7 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 11:06 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 9:01 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.84 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 July as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 42 | 52 | 72 | 76 | 86 | 89 | 98 | 93 | 89 | 80 | 68 | 54 |
| Low °F | -25 | -24 | -24 | 9 | 25 | 36 | 44 | 44 | 33 | 18 | 1 | -16 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
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.
- 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.
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 Chequamegon Point Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Sand Dunes
Lighthouse
State Park
National Wildlife RefugeSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chequamegon Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Chequamegon Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chequamegon Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chequamegon Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chequamegon Point Light?
How far is Chequamegon Point Light from Washburn?
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.