Cascade Falls is a waterfall in Jackson County, Michigan. The nearest town is Jackson, about 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away (Cascade Falls lies SW of town).
The Cascades is a manmade waterfall attraction in Sparks Foundation County Park, Jackson, Michigan. The falls are both illuminated and choreographed and is the site of concerts and special events from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Three times a year, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, fireworks displays are presented at the Cascade Falls. Since its creation in 1932, millions of people have enjoyed the beauty of the Cascades.From the Wikipedia article “Cascade Falls (Jackson, Michigan)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cascade Falls 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 239° (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) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 57° ENE | 9:18 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:04 AM | 122° ESE | 5:09 PM | 239° 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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:48 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:02 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:28 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:17 PM | 9:51 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:47 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:23 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:29 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 07m |
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 Cascade Falls, 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 6 (bright suburban sky), 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 | 5:18 AM – 6:08 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 1:20 AM – 4:10 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:30 PM – 3:40 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:20 PM – 2:20 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:28 PM – 12:18 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:25 PM – 10:15 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.07 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 July as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 60 | 65 | 82 | 80 | 89 | 97 | 102 | 98 | 95 | 88 | 76 | 65 |
| Low °F | -18 | -20 | -12 | 4 | 24 | 36 | 41 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 8 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 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 waterfall
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cascade Falls, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cascade Falls?
What time is golden hour at Cascade Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cascade Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cascade Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cascade Falls?
How far is Cascade Falls from Jackson?
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.