Located in Lake County, Illinois, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major) is a sand dunes at about 179 m (587 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Beach Park, about 4.1 km (2.5 mi) away (Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major) lies ESE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major) 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 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 57° ENE | 8:32 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 122° ESE | 4:22 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 04m |
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
Dunes need low sun: ripples and ridgelines only appear when side-light casts shadows, so shoot within an hour of sunrise or sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:05 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:25 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:32 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:24 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 3:25 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 2:56 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 1:35 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 11:32 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:29 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.69 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (85%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 50 | 54 | 65 | 68 | 79 | 83 | 91 | 88 | 84 | 75 | 68 | 58 |
| Low °F | -9 | -2 | 0 | 25 | 34 | 40 | 53 | 56 | 47 | 34 | 19 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
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 sand dunes
- A telephoto isolates S-curves and layered ridges.
- Wind erases tracks overnight — mornings have the cleanest sand.
- Protect gear from blowing sand; avoid changing lenses in the wind.
- Sand surfaces get extremely hot in summer afternoons.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring and autumn for comfortable temperatures; full moon nights give soft light on the sand.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lens blower, Sun protection, Water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major), closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
Lake
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major)?
What time is golden hour at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major)?
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Can you see the Milky Way from Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major)?
How far is Illinois Beach Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major) from Beach Park?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.