Located in Oakland County, Michigan, Dodge No. 4 State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Keego Harbor, about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away (Dodge No. 4 State Park lies WNW of town).
Dodge No. 4 State Park, originally the Dodge Brothers State Park No. 4, is a public recreation area covering 139 acres (56 ha) on the north shore of Cass Lake in Oakland County, northern Metro Detroit, Michigan. The state park occupies a mile of shoreline on the 1,280-acre (520 ha) lake.From the Wikipedia article “Dodge No. 4 State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dodge No. 4 State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 57° ENE | 9:15 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 122° ESE | 5:04 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:45 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 18m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:07 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:25 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:25 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 04m |
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 Dodge No. 4 State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:14 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 1:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:28 PM – 3:38 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:24 PM – 12:14 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:21 PM – 10:11 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). July 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 | 59 | 65 | 82 | 80 | 89 | 96 | 99 | 99 | 94 | 88 | 75 | 64 |
| Low °F | -18 | -19 | -12 | 5 | 24 | 37 | 42 | 46 | 36 | 25 | 8 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
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 state park
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Dodge No. 4 State Park, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dodge No. 4 State Park?
What time is golden hour at Dodge No. 4 State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dodge No. 4 State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dodge No. 4 State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dodge No. 4 State Park?
How far is Dodge No. 4 State Park from Keego Harbor?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.