Keweenaw National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in Michigan. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Keweenaw 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 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:37 AM | 9:26 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:31 PM | 239° | 8h 55m |
| February | 8:00 AM | 8:43 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:18 PM | 252° | 10h 18m |
| March | 8:08 AM | 8:48 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:00 PM | 268° | 11h 52m |
| April | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 286° | 13h 36m |
| May | 6:19 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:24 PM | 300° | 15h 05m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:46 AM | 9:05 PM | 9:52 PM | 307° | 15h 54m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 7:00 AM | 9:01 PM | 9:47 PM | 304° | 15h 33m |
| August | 6:52 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:07 PM | 292° | 14h 16m |
| September | 7:32 AM | 8:13 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:08 PM | 275° | 12h 36m |
| October | 8:13 AM | 8:55 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:08 PM | 258° | 10h 55m |
| November | 7:59 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:20 PM | 243° | 9h 22m |
| December | 8:35 AM | 9:27 AM | 4:13 PM | 5:05 PM | 236° | 8h 31m |
Computed for the park's reference point (47.1792, -88.5228); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Keweenaw, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.0 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 6:22 AM – 6:22 AM | 0.0 | 10° |
| April | 4:16 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.8 | 13° |
| May | 2:25 AM – 3:55 AM | 1.5 | 14° |
| June | 12:52 AM – 2:52 AM | 2.0 | 14° |
| July | 12:26 AM – 1:46 AM | 1.3 | 14° |
| August | 11:10 PM – 11:50 PM | 0.7 | 12° |
| September | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Summer: Keweenaw summers are usually mild, with average highs in the 70s, but can reach into the 80s and 90s. Nighttime temperatures are typically cool, but can also dip into the 40s or stay in the 70s. Summer months are dry, with occasional rain or severe thunderstorms. Winter: Again influenced by Lake Superior, winter temperatures are mild with highs in the 20s. Cold spells can occur with subzero temperatures. Lake effect snow is common, and 300 inches of snow can fall in a season.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 73% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (89%). 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 (%)
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.
Getting there
Keweenaw National Historical Park is located is located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, the northernmost part of Upper Michigan.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Road Biking
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Food
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
MI
MN
WI
MI
MI/MN