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41.6118° N87.2043° W186 mBortle 6Chicago

Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex

Sand Dunes in Porter County, Indiana · 186 m (610 ft)

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Located in Porter County, Indiana, Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex is a sand dunes at about 186 m (610 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Indiana Dunes National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Ogden Dunes, about 1.6 km (1.0 mi) away (Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex lies SW of town).

Elevation
186 m
610 ft
Nearest town
Ogden Dunes
1.6 km (1.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
September
46% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:31 PM
sunset 6:09 PM

Light at Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex

Live
Sunrise
7:07 AM
Sunset
6:01 PM
Golden hour AM
6:50 AM – 7:45 AM
Golden hour PM
5:23 PM – 6:19 PM
Blue hour AM
6:39 AM – 6:50 AM
Blue hour PM
6:19 PM – 6:30 PM
Full darkness
7:34 PM – 5:36 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:20 PM / 1:02 AM
Day length
10h 54m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:53 AM90° E7:01 PM271° W48°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:15 AM57° ENE8:27 PM303° WNW72°15h 12m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:37 AM89° E6:48 PM271° W49°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:13 AM121° ESE4:22 PM239° WSW25°9h 09m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:43 AM7:14 AM7:57 AM4:01 PM4:44 PM5:14 PM9h 30m
February6:17 AM6:45 AM7:24 AM4:44 PM5:23 PM5:51 PM10h 37m
March6:34 AM7:02 AM7:38 AM6:19 PM6:56 PM7:23 PM11h 54m
April5:41 AM6:10 AM6:47 AM6:52 PM7:29 PM7:58 PM13h 20m
May4:59 AM5:30 AM6:10 AM7:22 PM8:02 PM8:33 PM14h 31m
June4:41 AM5:15 AM5:57 AM7:43 PM8:25 PM8:59 PM15h 11m
July4:55 AM5:28 AM6:09 AM7:41 PM8:22 PM8:55 PM14h 54m
August5:28 AM5:58 AM6:36 AM7:12 PM7:50 PM8:20 PM13h 52m
September6:02 AM6:30 AM7:06 AM6:23 PM7:00 PM7:28 PM12h 30m
October6:33 AM7:01 AM7:39 AM5:31 PM6:09 PM6:37 PM11h 08m
November6:09 AM6:39 AM7:20 AM3:49 PM4:30 PM5:00 PM9h 51m
December6:38 AM7:09 AM7:54 AM3:36 PM4:20 PM4:52 PM9h 11m

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 Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—10°—
March4:18 AM – 5:18 AM1.016°SE → SSE
April2:19 AM – 4:19 AM2.019°SE → S
May12:17 AM – 3:27 AM3.220°SE → S
June10:35 PM – 3:05 AM4.520°SSE → SSW
July10:25 PM – 1:35 AM3.220°S → SW
August9:35 PM – 11:35 PM2.019°S → SW
September8:35 PM – 9:35 PM1.016°SSW → SW
October7:41 PM – 7:41 PM0.010°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.05 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6264808092981039695867468
Low °F-24-15-82127364849382212-9
Precip. (in)1.92.32.43.74.34.23.94.13.23.62.42.3

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

  • 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.
  • Walk along ridges rather than across faces to avoid leaving footprints in your future compositions.
  • A telephoto isolates S-curves and layered ridges.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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.

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 Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex, closest first.

Long LakeLake
Long Lake0.7 km away · Porter County · 184 m
Sand Dunes
Miller Woods - Indiana Dunes National Park Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)6.4 km away · Lake County
Indiana Botanic GardensBotanical Garden
Indiana Botanic Gardens11 km away · Lake County
Indiana Dunes State ParkState Park
Indiana Dunes State Park15 km away · Porter County
Sand Dunes
Clark and Pine Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)15 km away · Lake County
Calumet Dunes TrailSand Dunes
Calumet Dunes Trail17 km away · Porter County
Taltree Arboretum and GardensBotanical Garden
Taltree Arboretum and Gardens19 km away · Porter County
Sand Dunes
Cline Avenue Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)19 km away · Lake County
Sand Dunes
Gibson Woods Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)20 km away · Lake County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn for comfortable temperatures; full moon nights give soft light on the sand.
What time is golden hour at Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:31 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:09 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:39 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 57° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex?
Personal still photography needs no permit in National Park Service areas unless you use models, sets or props, enter closed areas, or the shoot creates extra costs for the park. Drones are prohibited.
How far is Indiana Dunes National Park Tolleston Dune and Swale Complex from Ogden Dunes?
About 1.6 km (1.0 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.