Douglass Houghton Falls — a waterfall in Houghton County, Michigan at about 274 m (899 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.6 km (2.2 mi) SSE of Laurium.
Houghton-Douglass Falls (also known as Douglass Houghton Falls, Douglass Falls or Houghton Falls) is a waterfall in the U.S. state of Michigan. At 110 feet (34 m) from the top to its base, it is Michigan's tallest waterfall. It is located in the state's Upper Peninsula between the villages of Laurium and Lake Linden just off Highway M-26. It is designated by the state as a Scenic Site and Veterans Memorial Park, and named after Douglass Houghton – Michigan's first state geologist – and his cousin and assistant Columbus Christopher Douglass. The waterfall is situated in a deep gorge that is flanked by sharp loose rock. Multiple deaths have been reported at this location, including one in September 2011. Part of the Keweenaw Peninsula, the falls expose two layers of volcanic rock which have been folded over younger, softer sandstone. The site includes 115 acres (47 ha) of land along...From the Wikipedia article “Houghton-Douglass Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Douglass Houghton Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:58 AM | 89° E | 8:06 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 53° NE | 9:54 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:41 AM | 89° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:38 AM | 125° SE | 5:07 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 29m |
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 | 8:02 AM | 8:37 AM | 9:26 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:05 PM | 8h 54m |
| February | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:43 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 18m |
| March | 7:37 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:48 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:30 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:15 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:23 PM | 10:00 PM | 15h 05m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:46 AM | 9:04 PM | 9:52 PM | 10:32 PM | 15h 54m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:00 AM | 9:01 PM | 9:47 PM | 10:25 PM | 15h 33m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:41 PM | 14h 16m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:39 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:42 AM | 8:12 AM | 8:54 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:39 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 7:25 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 21m |
| December | 7:59 AM | 8:34 AM | 9:27 AM | 4:13 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:41 PM | 8h 31m |
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 Douglass Houghton Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | 6:22 AM – 6:22 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 4:16 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:25 AM – 3:55 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:52 AM – 2:52 AM | 2.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 12:26 AM – 1:46 AM | 1.3 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 11:10 PM – 11:50 PM | 0.7 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.79 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 73% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (89%). 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 | 42 | 41 | 57 | 58 | 65 | 65 | 75 | 76 | 74 | 66 | 58 | 49 |
| Low °F | -6 | -9 | -6 | 16 | 27 | 35 | 39 | 50 | 40 | 31 | 13 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 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 waterfall
- 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.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Douglass Houghton Falls, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Douglass Houghton Falls?
What time is golden hour at Douglass Houghton Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Douglass Houghton Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Douglass Houghton Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Douglass Houghton Falls?
How far is Douglass Houghton Falls from Laurium?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.