Isle Royale National Park is a National Park in Michigan. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 11 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Isle Royale
We matched 11 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Isle Royale. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Waterfalls (1)
Natural Arches (2)
Lighthouses (4)
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseFire Lookouts (3)
Wilderness Areas (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Isle Royale the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:41 AM | 9:32 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:30 PM | 239° | 8h 49m |
| February | 8:03 AM | 8:47 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:18 PM | 252° | 10h 15m |
| March | 8:09 AM | 8:51 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:01 PM | 268° | 11h 51m |
| April | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:45 PM | 286° | 13h 39m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:42 PM | 9:28 PM | 300° | 15h 10m |
| June | 5:56 AM | 6:45 AM | 9:09 PM | 9:57 PM | 308° | 16h 01m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:59 AM | 9:05 PM | 9:52 PM | 304° | 15h 40m |
| August | 6:51 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:11 PM | 292° | 14h 20m |
| September | 7:33 AM | 8:14 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:10 PM | 276° | 12h 37m |
| October | 8:15 AM | 8:58 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:08 PM | 258° | 10h 53m |
| November | 8:03 AM | 8:51 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:19 PM | 243° | 9h 17m |
| December | 8:39 AM | 9:33 AM | 4:10 PM | 5:03 PM | 235° | 8h 24m |
Computed for the park's reference point (48.0115, -88.8278); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Isle Royale, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| April | 4:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.5 | 12° |
| May | 2:33 AM – 3:43 AM | 1.2 | 13° |
| June | 1:12 AM – 2:32 AM | 1.3 | 13° |
| July | 12:38 AM – 1:38 AM | 1.0 | 13° |
| August | 11:16 PM – 11:36 PM | 0.3 | 11° |
| September | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Isle Royale National Park is a remote island wilderness in the middle of Lake Superior. Weather influences traveling to and from the island, as well as your trip once you arrive. For the most up-to-date weather information, call (906) 482-0984 or email [email protected] prior to your trip.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 64% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Per Person | $7.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Isle Royale National Park headquarters is located in Houghton, MI. Visit the Houghton page on the Isle Royale National Park website for additional information and a map on how to access the visitor center.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Sailing
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Group Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Flying
- Guided Tours
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Paddling
- Canoeing
Nearby parks
MN
MI
WI