Top sand dunes
Sand DunesWhitefish Point Dune and Swale Complex (Major)
Sand DunesShelldrake River Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesBirch Point Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesBack Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesTahquamenon River Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesBlack Creek Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesHuron Point Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesSaint Vital Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Major)
Sand DunesTahquamenon Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesPendills Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesJames Donaldson Moore Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesAlbany Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)
Map
How to photograph sand dunes
Dunes need low sun: ripples and ridgelines only appear when side-light casts shadows, so shoot within an hour of sunrise or sunset.
- 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.
- Sand surfaces get extremely hot in summer afternoons.
Season: Spring and autumn for comfortable temperatures; full moon nights give soft light on the sand.