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45.6892° N86.6796° W186 mBortle 2Detroit

Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)

Sand Dunes in Delta County, Michigan · 186 m (610 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–306°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug

Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged) — a sand dunes in Delta County, Michigan at about 186 m (610 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Escanaba, about 30 km (19 mi) away (Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged) lies ESE of town).

Elevation
186 m
610 ft
Nearest town
Escanaba
30 km (19 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
September
61% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:22 PM
sunset 7:03 PM

Light at Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)

Live
Sunrise
8:10 AM
Sunset
6:54 PM
Golden hour AM
7:52 AM – 8:52 AM
Golden hour PM
6:13 PM – 7:12 PM
Blue hour AM
7:40 AM – 7:52 AM
Blue hour PM
7:12 PM – 7:24 PM
Full darkness
8:33 PM – 6:33 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:27 PM / 1:49 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 Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged) 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)7:51 AM90° E7:59 PM271° W44°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:58 AM54° NE9:41 PM306° NW68°15h 43m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:34 AM89° E7:46 PM271° W45°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:25 AM124° SE5:06 PM236° WSW21°8h 41m

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
January7:51 AM8:24 AM9:12 AM4:42 PM5:29 PM6:02 PM9h 05m
February7:19 AM7:50 AM8:32 AM5:32 PM6:14 PM6:44 PM10h 24m
March7:31 AM8:00 AM8:40 AM7:13 PM7:53 PM8:22 PM11h 52m
April6:31 AM7:02 AM7:42 AM7:53 PM8:33 PM9:04 PM13h 31m
May5:42 AM6:16 AM7:00 AM8:28 PM9:11 PM9:46 PM14h 55m
June5:19 AM5:57 AM6:43 AM8:53 PM9:39 PM10:17 PM15h 41m
July5:36 AM6:12 AM6:57 AM8:49 PM9:34 PM10:11 PM15h 22m
August6:15 AM6:48 AM7:29 AM8:15 PM8:57 PM9:29 PM14h 09m
September6:56 AM7:26 AM8:05 AM7:21 PM8:00 PM8:30 PM12h 34m
October7:34 AM8:04 AM8:44 AM6:22 PM7:03 PM7:33 PM10h 59m
November7:15 AM7:47 AM8:32 AM4:32 PM5:17 PM5:50 PM9h 30m
December7:47 AM8:22 AM9:11 AM4:14 PM5:04 PM5:38 PM8h 42m

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 Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged), 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
March5:52 AM – 6:12 AM0.312°SSE → SSE
April3:53 AM – 5:03 AM1.214°SSE → SSE
May1:54 AM – 3:54 AM2.015°SSE → S
June12:19 AM – 3:09 AM2.815°SSE → SSW
July12:00 AM – 2:00 AM2.015°S → SSW
August10:54 PM – 11:54 PM1.014°SSW → SSW
September9:42 PM – 9:52 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: 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 ≈ 21.89 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 November as the cloudiest (75%). August 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 °F434252536373797974685952
Low °F-4-7-3163137495444351810
Precip. (in)1.71.71.93.13.43.42.82.93.64.12.82.4

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

  • 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.
  • Wind erases tracks overnight — mornings have the cleanest sand.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

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 Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged), closest first.

Fayette Historic State ParkState Park
Fayette Historic State Park3.4 km away · Delta County
Sand Dunes
Gillnet Haven Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)4.9 km away · Delta County
Sand Dunes
Kreggs Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)9.0 km away · Delta County
Sand Dunes
Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)15 km away · Delta County
Sand Dunes
Kates Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)16 km away · Delta County
Poverty Island Light StationLighthouse
Poverty Island Light Station18 km away · Delta County
Sand Dunes
Ogontz Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Major)21 km away · Delta County
St. Martin Island LightLighthouse
St. Martin Island Light22 km away · Delta County
Peninsula Point LighthouseLighthouse
Peninsula Point Lighthouse22 km away · Delta County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)?
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 Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:22 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:03 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:44 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)?
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 Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged)?
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 Sand Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Submerged) from Escanaba?
About 30 km (19 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.