Located in Wayne County, Michigan, William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor is a state park. The nearest town is Detroit, about 1.7 km (1.1 mi) away (William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor lies E of town).
The William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor (formerly named Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor) is a public recreation area located on the Detroit River just east of downtown Detroit, Michigan, on a portion of the city's International Riverfront. The state park's 31 acres (13 ha) include wetlands, paved trails, and a 52-slip harbor of refuge. A 63-foot (19 m) conical brick lighthouse tower, designed as a scaled-down replica of the Tawas Point Light, marks the harbor entrance.From the Wikipedia article “William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor 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) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 57° ENE | 9:13 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:59 AM | 122° ESE | 5:03 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
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 | 7:28 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:42 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:33 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 William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor, 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 | 5:12 AM – 6:02 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:05 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 1:14 AM – 4:04 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:24 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:14 PM – 2:14 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:22 PM – 12:12 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:19 PM – 10:09 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: 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 ≈ 18.58 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
- 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 William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor?
What time is golden hour at William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor?
Where does the sun rise and set at William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor?
Can you see the Milky Way from William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor?
Do you need a permit to photograph at William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor?
How far is William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor from Detroit?
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.