Michigan’s Best Sunsets: Point Betsie Lighthouse
The Lake Michigan shoreline in Michigan is known for spectacular sunsets, and over the years we have been fortunate to experience some great photo opportunities here. We thought it would be helpful for our readers if we profiled some of our favorite spots as we head into the summer months. To start things off we head just north of Frankfort to the Point Betsie Lighthouse and a beach that has for years been one of our favorite spots to catch a sunset. Our first entry in the Michigan’s Best Sunsets series is the Point Betsie Lighthouse:
The Point Betsie Lighthouse has been in operation since 1858 and was built to help guide vessels through the dangerous waters of the Manitou Passage. The lighthouse tower stands 37 feet tall an is painted white with a black-capped lantern room. It is attached to a two-story keeper’s house that has a gambrel roof and green trim and red shingles that accentuate the building. The lighthouse, keeper’s house, fog signal building and more are open to the public as part of a maritime museum (opens for the season on May 14th this year). More details about the lighthouse can be found at www.pointbetsie.org, where they even have a sunset tracker that updates daily!
Some of the things that make this a great spot for sunset photography are a long and sandy beach, the numerous large pieces of driftwood and remnants of old metal breakwalls, the lighthouse itself, and the color contrast between the sky, sand, and water. At times the water here has an almost tropical appearance, and days with booming waves can make for even better photos. This is one of our favorite beaches to look for Petoskey stones too and we’ve never gone home disappointed. Here’s a look at some more pictures that show how amazing the sunsets can be here:
To get to Point Betsie Lighthouse from Frankfort, head north on M-22 for four miles, then turn left on Point Betsie Rd. (there is a brown sign for the lighthouse) and follow it to its end. There is room to park on either side of the road.