The Best Locations To View The Northern Lights In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, According To Photographers

Clear winter nights are the ideal conditions for viewing the magical aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. This awe-inspiring light show happens when electrically charged particles from the sun enter our atmosphere, colliding with the Earth's gases. The panorama of colors that washes across the sky is normally best viewed from late August to April when the Northern Hemisphere is cloaked in winter darkness, making this light show visible. 

Because of its distance from the magnetic north pole (as opposed to the true or geographic north pole), Michigan is one of the prime places on the planet to view the northern lights. It has the same visibility as Norway, Finland, and Alaska, with an added advantage: Michigan's more southerly location means longer summer nights, making the aurora visible even in the warmer months. Michigan was also the first state to designate a Dark Sky Preserve in 1993, an area protected from light pollution. Since then, the state has added five more preserves and now has three internationally recognized Dark Sky Parks, dedicated to stargazing.  

Visual Artist and photographer Shawn Malone shared her favorite viewing spots along the Upper Peninsula on Michigan.org. "When looking north over Lake Superior, one can see right down to the horizon and take in a 180-degree unobstructed view of the night sky. Getting to a location without the obstruction of a treeline or hills is important at our latitude, as many times an auroral display will sit very low on the horizon," she wrote. "Having a dark night sky with little light pollution is necessary when looking for the northern lights, as the light of the aurora is equal to the brightness of starlight." So, where else do aurora photographers recommend for the best northern lights viewing?

When viewing the night sky, the most important thing to do is get away from the light pollution of the big city. In Michigan, that means heading north along Interstate 75 towards Mackinaw City, a Victorian-era gem on the waterfront. Though not technically part of the Upper Peninsula (the park is located just before you cross over), the Headlands International Dark Sky Park is one of Michigan's most immaculate stargazing spots and one of the easiest to access.

At the very tip of Lake Michigan, Headlands is specially designated for stargazing and even hosts workshops for aurora chasers. Its trails and viewing platforms are accessible for 24 hours, but it's not a place for camping (although you can bring equipment and food to last you through a night). Bundle up — it can get 10 degrees colder here because of its lakeside location. There's also some etiquette to follow: White flashlights (like the kind on your mobile phone) are not allowed because they degrade your night vision. Instead, you can use red-filtered flashlights to light your way. If you don't have one, they sell them on site.

It's a favorite place for stargazing photographers. "One of the most remarkable auroral displays I've ever witnessed — an all-night spectacle of light and motion," wrote one Instagram user while posting a spectacular cosmic time-lapse of a particularly vivid northern lights display in 2024.

If you're keen to have a view all to yourself, keep heading north along I-75 and ride along the Mighty Mac, the suspension bridge that connects Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, an arty harbor town that's own of Michigan's best-kept secrets. From here, you have a wealth of options, but the best aurora viewing will be along the Upper Peninsula's northern edge, overlooking Lake Superior. Brimley State Park is one of the closest spots, sitting right on Lake Superior's Whitefish Bay, less than an hour's drive north of St. Ignace. It has campgrounds, perfect for those hoping to catch a glimpse of the aurora overnight.

For one of the few cliffside views, head farther north to Miners Castle at Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. This national park has a cliff area accessible by car with a paved path leading to a favorite viewing spot for the northern lights. "Probably one of my favorite images I've ever captured," wrote one Instagram user. "Seeing the northern lights over Miners Castle was indescribable." If you're visiting these locations in winter, don't forget to check the snow conditions. You may need your snowshoes or cross-country skis to get the viewing spot you want. 

Head west to Munising, and you'll come to the M-28, a highway that hugs the shoreline along the way to Marquette. There are several turnouts here that make excellent night sky viewing. The wealth of trees also makes this stretch of Michigan one of the prettiest for fall foliage. 

If you're willing to venture a little further west along U.S. Highway 41, you can drive up the Keweenaw Peninsula. This finger of land extends into Lake Superior, offering some of the best views of the northern lights across the water. The Keweenaw Dark Sky Park is a protected area surrounding the privately owned Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. It's a designated stargazing site that's free for the public to access at night. As in other dark sky sanctuaries, use only a red flashlight to light your way. The lodge has plenty of experience with aurora chasing. Tips include tracking the moon phase to ensure viewing on the darkest nights and using a long exposure on your camera to get the saturated colors that the naked eye can't detect.

Keep going past the lodge and you'll come to Copper Harbor, a remote village tucked between the mountain and Lake Superior. The drive from Copper Harbor to Eagle Harbor clings to the shoreline, making it a great place for aurora chasing. One photographer on Instagram managed to capture the flickering waves of green, pink, and yellow light of an aural storm at Copper Harbor: "It was an ABSOLUTELY beautiful night. But I mean, what night isn't beautiful when you have aurora like this?"

To determine the best locations for viewing the northern lights from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, we analyzed the work of photographers specializing in capturing the vibrant colors of the aurora borealis. Special attention was paid to those photographers who live locally and are continuously on the lookout for good sites and light conditions.

Our selection process focused on several key factors: accessibility, how easy it is to reach these viewing spots; light quality, how isolated from light pollution the area is for optimal aurora viewing; and geography, the best vantage point to see the northern lights as it clings close to the horizon in the Upper Peninsula.

Once you've had your fill chasing the northern lights, you might want to consider an expedition to the southern hemisphere to see the aurora australis. Paragonia is just one breathtaking destination to take in the often-overlooked natural wonder that is the southern lights.