Mackinac Wilderness is a wilderness area in Mackinac County, Michigan. It is part of Hiawatha National Forest. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) NNW of Saint Ignace.
The Mackinac Wilderness is a 12,230-acre (49.5 km2) unit within the Hiawatha National Forest. It is located in Mackinac County, Michigan. The wilderness is accessible from M-123, which borders the unit. The nearest town is Moran, Michigan.From the Wikipedia article “Mackinac Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mackinac Wilderness 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 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:52 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 54° NE | 9:35 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:19 AM | 124° SE | 4:57 PM | 236° SW | 21° | 8h 38m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:45 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:06 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:26 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:33 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 57m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:46 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:11 PM | 15h 44m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:05 PM | 15h 25m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:58 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:38 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:25 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 28m |
| December | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:06 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:30 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Mackinac Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:55 AM – 6:05 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:46 AM – 4:56 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:48 AM – 3:48 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:14 AM – 3:04 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:55 PM – 1:45 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:48 PM – 11:48 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:35 PM – 9:45 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 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 August as the clearest month (about 66% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (82%). August 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 | 39 | 38 | 70 | 68 | 80 | 83 | 89 | 87 | 82 | 76 | 65 | 55 |
| Low °F | -25 | -25 | -15 | 3 | 25 | 34 | 40 | 44 | 35 | 22 | -1 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 2.8 |
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 wilderness area
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Mackinac Wilderness, closest first.
Sand DunesSand DunesSand Dunes
Mountain Peak
Lighthouse
LighthouseSand Dunes
State ParkSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Carp River Campground10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Brevoort Lake Campground12.0 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Lake Michigan At St. Ignace13.3 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mackinac Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Mackinac Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mackinac Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mackinac Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mackinac Wilderness?
How far is Mackinac Wilderness from Saint Ignace?
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.