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45.8474° N84.7511° W183 mBortle 1Detroit

Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)

Sand Dunes in Mackinac County, Michigan · 183 m (600 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–306°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug

Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible) — a sand dunes in Mackinac County, Michigan at about 183 m (600 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Saint Ignace, about 2.8 km (1.7 mi) away (Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible) lies SW of town).

Elevation
183 m
600 ft
Nearest town
Saint Ignace
2.8 km (1.7 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
September
61% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:14 PM
sunset 6:55 PM

Light at Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)

Live
Sunrise
8:03 AM
Sunset
6:46 PM
Golden hour AM
7:44 AM – 8:44 AM
Golden hour PM
6:05 PM – 7:05 PM
Blue hour AM
7:33 AM – 7:44 AM
Blue hour PM
7:05 PM – 7:16 PM
Full darkness
8:25 PM – 6:25 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:19 PM / 1:40 AM
Day length
10h 43m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Detroit. 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 Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible) 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 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:43 AM90° E7:52 PM271° W44°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:50 AM54° NE9:34 PM306° NW68°15h 44m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:27 AM89° E7:39 PM271° W44°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:18 AM124° SE4:58 PM236° WSW21°8h 39m

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
January7:44 AM8:17 AM9:05 AM4:33 PM5:21 PM5:54 PM9h 04m
February7:12 AM7:42 AM8:25 AM5:24 PM6:06 PM6:36 PM10h 23m
March7:23 AM7:53 AM8:32 AM7:05 PM7:45 PM8:15 PM11h 52m
April6:23 AM6:54 AM7:34 AM7:45 PM8:26 PM8:57 PM13h 32m
May5:33 AM6:08 AM6:52 AM8:21 PM9:04 PM9:39 PM14h 56m
June5:11 AM5:49 AM6:35 AM8:45 PM9:32 PM10:10 PM15h 43m
July5:27 AM6:04 AM6:49 AM8:42 PM9:27 PM10:04 PM15h 23m
August6:07 AM6:40 AM7:21 AM8:08 PM8:49 PM9:22 PM14h 10m
September6:48 AM7:18 AM7:57 AM7:13 PM7:52 PM8:22 PM12h 34m
October7:26 AM7:56 AM8:37 AM6:14 PM6:55 PM7:25 PM10h 59m
November7:07 AM7:40 AM8:25 AM4:24 PM5:09 PM5:42 PM9h 29m
December7:40 AM8:14 AM9:04 AM4:06 PM4:56 PM5:30 PM8h 41m

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 Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
March5:44 AM – 6:04 AM0.312°SSE → SSE
April3:45 AM – 4:55 AM1.214°SSE → SSE
May1:46 AM – 3:46 AM2.015°SSE → S
June12:11 AM – 3:01 AM2.815°SSE → SSW
July11:52 PM – 1:52 AM2.015°S → SSW
August10:46 PM – 11:46 PM1.014°SSW → SSW
September9:34 PM – 9:44 PM0.211°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 61% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (81%). July is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F445575748285918886826958
Low °F-15-18-10627334446372813-6
Precip. (in)1.81.71.83.23.13.42.93.13.54.22.62.4

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

  • 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.
  • Wind erases tracks overnight — mornings have the cleanest sand.
  • Protect gear from blowing sand; avoid changing lenses in the wind.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible), closest first.

Straits State ParkState Park
Straits State Park2.5 km away · Mackinac County
Wawatam LighthouseLighthouse
Wawatam Lighthouse3.4 km away · Mackinac County
Lake Michigan–HuronLake
Lake Michigan–Huron3.7 km away · Cheboygan County
Old Mackinac Point LightLighthouse
Old Mackinac Point Light6.9 km away · Cheboygan County
McGulpin Point LightLighthouse
McGulpin Point Light6.9 km away · Cheboygan County
Castle RockMountain Peak
Castle Rock7.1 km away · Mackinac County · 215 m
The HeadlandsDark Sky Place
The Headlands7.6 km away · Cheboygan County
St. Helena Island LightLighthouse
St. Helena Island Light8.7 km away · Mackinac County
Sand Dunes
Horseshoe Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Major)9.3 km away · Mackinac County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)?
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 Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:14 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:55 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:37 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 54° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 236°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible)?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Point La Barbe Dune and Swale Complex (Possible) from Saint Ignace?
About 2.8 km (1.7 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.