Laughing Whitefish Falls in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan taken from the base of the falls.
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46.3897° N87.0662° W295 mBortle 2Detroit

Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site Photography Guide

Waterfall in Alger County, Michigan · 295 m (968 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–306°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug
Photo: ClaymoreWW - George A. Bredehoft · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Alger County, Michigan, Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site is a waterfall at about 295 m (968 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site lies ENE of town).

Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park is a public recreation area protecting 960 acres (390 ha) along the Laughing Whitefish River in Onota Township and Rock River Township, in far western Alger County, Michigan. Its main scenic feature is Laughing Whitefish Falls, a 100-foot fan-shaped cascade located in the southern part of the site, in Rock River Township, eight miles (13 km) south of Lake Superior and three miles north of M-94.From the Wikipedia article “Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Elevation
295 m
968 ft
Nearest town
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
24 km (15 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
September
68% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:22 PM
sunset 7:03 PM

Light at Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site

Live
Sunrise
8:13 AM
Sunset
6:54 PM
Golden hour AM
7:54 AM – 8:55 AM
Golden hour PM
6:13 PM – 7:13 PM
Blue hour AM
7:42 AM – 7:54 AM
Blue hour PM
7:13 PM – 7:25 PM
Full darkness
8:35 PM – 6:34 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:30 PM / 1:48 AM
Day length
10h 41m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Detroit. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:52 AM90° E8:01 PM271° W43°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:57 AM54° NE9:45 PM306° NW67°15h 48m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:36 AM89° E7:48 PM271° W44°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:30 AM124° SE5:05 PM236° SW20°8h 35m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:54 AM8:28 AM9:17 AM4:40 PM5:28 PM6:02 PM9h 00m
February7:22 AM7:53 AM8:35 AM5:31 PM6:14 PM6:45 PM10h 21m
March7:32 AM8:02 AM8:42 AM7:14 PM7:54 PM8:24 PM11h 52m
April6:31 AM7:02 AM7:43 AM7:55 PM8:36 PM9:07 PM13h 34m
May5:40 AM6:16 AM7:00 AM8:31 PM9:15 PM9:51 PM14h 59m
June5:17 AM5:56 AM6:43 AM8:56 PM9:43 PM10:22 PM15h 47m
July5:34 AM6:11 AM6:57 AM8:53 PM9:38 PM10:16 PM15h 27m
August6:15 AM6:48 AM7:29 AM8:18 PM9:00 PM9:33 PM14h 12m
September6:57 AM7:27 AM8:07 AM7:22 PM8:02 PM8:32 PM12h 35m
October7:36 AM8:06 AM8:47 AM6:22 PM7:03 PM7:34 PM10h 57m
November7:18 AM7:51 AM8:37 AM4:31 PM5:17 PM5:50 PM9h 26m
December7:51 AM8:26 AM9:17 AM4:12 PM5:03 PM5:38 PM8h 37m

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 Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-5°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
March6:05 AM – 6:15 AM0.211°SSE → SSE
April4:07 AM – 5:07 AM1.014°SSE → S
May2:02 AM – 3:52 AM1.815°SSE → S
June12:32 AM – 3:02 AM2.515°SSE → SSW
July12:10 AM – 1:50 AM1.715°S → SSW
August11:00 PM – 11:50 PM0.813°SSW → SSW
September9:45 PM – 9:45 PM0.011°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.87 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 September as the clearest month (about 68% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F424969738486929286776554
Low °F-14-16-10112633414535236-7
Precip. (in)1.81.91.93.13.53.93.53.03.94.12.52.4

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

  • 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.
  • 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site, closest first.

Waterfall
Rock River Falls7.3 km away · Alger County · 231 m
Waterfall
Silver Falls10 km away · Alger County · 270 m
Sand Dunes
Sand River Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)12 km away · Marquette County
Waterfall
Upper Chocolay Falls15 km away · Marquette County · 295 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Overlook15 km away · Alger County · 184 m
Sand Dunes
Au Train Bay Dune and Swale Complex (Major)17 km away · Alger County
Waterfall
Au Train Falls17 km away · Alger County · 220 m
Sand Dunes
LeVasseur Creek Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)18 km away · Marquette County
Waterfall
Whitefish Falls19 km away · Alger County · 285 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
What time is golden hour at Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:22 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:03 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:47 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 54° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 236°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base?
About 24 km (15 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.