Orchard Beach State Park is a state park in Manistee County, Michigan. The nearest town is Manistee, about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away (Orchard Beach State Park lies NNE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Orchard Beach State Park is a public recreation area covering 201 acres (81 ha) on the shore of Lake Michigan in Manistee Township, Manistee County, Michigan. Situated on a bluff three miles north of the city of Manistee, the state park offers camping, hiking trails, and scenic views over Lake Michigan.From the Wikipedia article “Orchard Beach State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Orchard Beach State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:49 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 55° NE | 9:33 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:33 AM | 89° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:19 AM | 123° ESE | 5:10 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 51m |
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 | 7:46 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:04 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:44 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 7:30 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:37 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:47 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:08 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 5:41 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:44 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:03 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:40 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 7:42 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:03 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:41 PM | 8h 53m |
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 Orchard Beach State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:38 AM – 6:18 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:41 AM – 4:11 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:58 PM – 3:28 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:43 PM – 2:13 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:37 PM – 10:07 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 71% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (88%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 45 | 46 | 64 | 65 | 74 | 78 | 85 | 84 | 80 | 75 | 62 | 55 |
| Low °F | 0 | -11 | -4 | 20 | 30 | 37 | 50 | 55 | 45 | 34 | 16 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 2.5 |
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
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Orchard Beach State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
Lake
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Marzinski Horse Campground13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Lake Michigan At Manistee19.9 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Orchard Beach State Park?
What time is golden hour at Orchard Beach State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Orchard Beach State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Orchard Beach State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Orchard Beach State Park?
How far is Orchard Beach State Park from Manistee?
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.