Big Manitou Falls — a waterfall in Douglas County, Wisconsin at about 292 m (958 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) S of Superior.
Big Manitou Falls is a waterfall on the Black River, a tributary of the Nemadji River. The falls are within Pattison State Park in Douglas County, Wisconsin, about 13 miles (21 km) south of Superior. At 165 feet (50 m), Big Manitou Falls is the highest waterfall in Wisconsin. Native Americans who settled nearby believed they heard the voice of the Great Spirit within the roaring of the falls and gave it the name "Gitchee Manitou". In 1920, a state park was created around the falls, and it received a further level of protection in 2003 upon being named a unit of the Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program.From the Wikipedia article “Big Manitou Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Manitou Falls 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 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 54° NE | 9:06 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 124° SE | 4:24 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 34m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:22 PM | 8h 59m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 00m |
| June | 4:36 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:03 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 48m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 28m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 13m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 25m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:31 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 36m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Big Manitou Falls, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:27 AM – 4:27 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:22 AM – 3:12 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:52 PM – 2:22 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:30 PM – 1:10 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:20 PM – 11:10 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:05 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.52 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 July as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 42 | 50 | 75 | 80 | 88 | 94 | 103 | 96 | 92 | 82 | 69 | 52 |
| Low °F | -41 | -30 | -34 | 5 | 24 | 36 | 43 | 42 | 28 | 12 | -8 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
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
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Big Manitou Falls, closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State ParkWaterfall
Covered Bridge
State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Manitou Falls?
What time is golden hour at Big Manitou Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Manitou Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Manitou Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Manitou Falls?
How far is Big Manitou Falls from Superior?
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.