Top sand dunes
Sand DunesBete Grise Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Major)
Sand DunesMary Macdonald Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Major)
Sand DunesEagle River Shoals Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)
Sand DunesCat Harbor Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesBetsy Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)
Sand DunesOliver Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)
Sand DunesBlack Rock Point 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.