River Raisin National Battlefield Park is a National Battlefield 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 River Raisin the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:00 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:28 PM | 242° | 9h 28m |
| February | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:07 PM | 254° | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:46 AM | 8:23 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:40 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 284° | 13h 21m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:47 PM | 297° | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:11 PM | 303° | 15h 13m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:08 PM | 300° | 14h 56m |
| August | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 290° | 13h 53m |
| September | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:45 PM | 275° | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:46 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:54 PM | 259° | 11h 07m |
| November | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:14 PM | 246° | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:55 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:04 PM | 239° | 9h 09m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.9129, -83.3762); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From River Raisin, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:14 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.8 | 15° |
| April | 3:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 1:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 3.0 | 19° |
| June | 11:24 PM – 3:44 AM | 4.3 | 19° |
| July | 11:14 PM – 2:24 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| August | 10:23 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.0 | 18° |
| September | 9:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.0 | 15° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
6 Estimated Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos.
Weather & best time to visit
There is a saying about Michigan weather: "If you don't like the weather wait five minutes and it will change!" Seasonal average temperatures for Monroe area: Winter: highs range from 30 F- 45 F and lows range from 15 F- 30 F Spring: highs range from 40 F - 70 F and lows range from 25 F - 55 F Summer: highs range from 70 F - 85 F and lows range from 50 F - 65 F Fall: highs range from 40 F - 80 F and lows range from 60 F - 30 F
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). 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 (%)
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
River Raisin National Battlefield is located in SE Lower Michigan along the western shoreline of Lake Erie, in the city of Monroe. Park headquarters is 35 miles south of Detroit, and only 270 miles east of Chicago. By Car: Take Interstate 75 to exit 15 and go south on Dixie Highway to 333 North Dixie Hwy on the right.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Live Music
- Theater
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Arts and Crafts
- Volunteer Vacation
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
Nearby parks
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