Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor) — a sand dunes in Chippewa County, Michigan at about 182 m (597 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) WSW of Sault Ste. Marie.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:51 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 54° NE | 9:35 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:20 AM | 124° SE | 4:55 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 35m |
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 | 7:45 AM | 8:19 AM | 9:07 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 00m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:26 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:32 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:14 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 00m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:47 PM | 9:34 PM | 10:13 PM | 15h 48m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:06 PM | 15h 27m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 12m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:37 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:24 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 26m |
| December | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:07 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:28 PM | 8h 37m |
Local time (America/Detroit), 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 Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:55 AM – 6:05 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:52 AM – 3:42 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:22 AM – 2:52 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:00 AM – 1:40 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:50 PM – 11:40 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:35 PM – 9:35 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 66% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 39 | 38 | 70 | 68 | 80 | 83 | 89 | 87 | 82 | 76 | 65 | 55 |
| Low °F | -25 | -25 | -15 | 3 | 25 | 34 | 40 | 44 | 35 | 22 | -1 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 2.8 |
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
- Walk along ridges rather than across faces to avoid leaving footprints in your future compositions.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor), closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Sand DunesSand DunesSand Dunes
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Monocle Lake3.8 km (2.4 mi) · reservable
- Bay View (Hiawatha National Forest, Mi)13.3 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Soldier Lake23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)?
What time is golden hour at Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)?
How far is Back Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor) from Sault Ste. Marie?
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.