Van Buren State Park is a state park in Van Buren County, Michigan. It sits roughly 6.5 km (4.0 mi) SSW of South Haven.
Van Buren State Park is a 400-acre (160 ha) public recreation area on Lake Michigan four miles (6.4 km) south of South Haven, Michigan, United States. The state park, which is maintained and operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, is located in the southwest corner of South Haven Township and the northwest corner of Covert Township, just north of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant. The Van Buren County–owned North Point Conservation Area is located directly north of the park. The park has forested sand dunes, camping, and a swimming beach.From the Wikipedia article “Van Buren State Park (Michigan)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Van Buren 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° (WNW) 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) | 7:49 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:09 AM | 57° ENE | 9:26 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:33 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:12 AM | 122° ESE | 5:16 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 04m |
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 | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 8:56 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:09 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 7:30 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:35 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:53 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:32 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:42 PM | 9:24 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:21 PM | 9:55 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:30 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:37 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 7:36 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:54 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Van Buren 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:25 AM – 6:15 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:18 AM – 5:18 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 1:27 AM – 4:17 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:37 PM – 3:47 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:27 PM – 2:27 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:35 PM – 12:25 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:32 PM – 10:22 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.01 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 69% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (89%). 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 | 54 | 54 | 72 | 68 | 83 | 87 | 92 | 89 | 87 | 79 | 67 | 60 |
| Low °F | -2 | -4 | -1 | 23 | 31 | 38 | 49 | 51 | 46 | 34 | 19 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
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 Van Buren State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
Covered Bridge
Lighthouse
Lake
Lighthouse
Ghost Town
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Van Buren State Park?
What time is golden hour at Van Buren State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Van Buren State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Van Buren State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Van Buren State Park?
How far is Van Buren State Park from South Haven?
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.