Negwegon State Park

Negwegon State Park is an undeveloped stretch of Lake Huron shoreline in Alpena and Alcona counties, Michigan, designated a Michigan Dark Sky Preserve on February 16, 2016.

Why Negwegon is a top stargazing spot

The park's 4,118 acres include seven miles of shoreline and a mile of sandy beach at the southern tip of Thunder Bay, with almost no development to produce artificial light. Light-pollution readings here rank among the lowest recorded in the Great Lakes region, which is what earned Negwegon its Dark Sky Preserve status.

What you can see

On clear nights the Milky Way is easily visible over the lake, and Negwegon's open shoreline gives an unobstructed view for meteor showers. The park's darkness and its position in northern Michigan also make it one of the better spots in the Lower 48 for the Northern Lights: researchers rank aurora visibility here on a par with Oslo, Helsinki and Kodiak, Alaska, with sightings possible from August through April and April, October and November standing out as the strongest months.

Visiting Negwegon at night

Negwegon remains largely undeveloped, with just four primitive campsites reachable only by hiking or paddling in; sites require a reservation through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The park's lowland pine forest, open meadows and long beach also draw backcountry campers, hikers and birdwatchers by day. Check the Michigan DNR site for current camping availability before you go.

Best time to go

For the Milky Way, aim for spring through early autumn, when the galactic core rises over the lake after dark and the open beach at the park's southern tip gives a clear horizon to watch it climb. For aurora hunting, the shoulder seasons of April, October and November offer the best odds, though sightings always depend on solar activity and are never guaranteed. The Perseids in August and the Geminids in December are both well placed from this latitude. Whatever you come for, a new-Moon night and 20 to 30 minutes of dark adaptation make the biggest difference, and a red light rather than white will protect your night vision.

Getting there

Negwegon lies about five miles southeast of the small community of Ossineke, straddling the Alpena-Alcona county line on Michigan's Lake Huron shore, roughly fourteen miles across the water from the city of Alpena. There is no paved road into the park's interior; access is on foot or by unpaved trail, so allow extra time and check the Michigan DNR site for current conditions before you go.

See your named star from here

With some of the lowest light pollution readings anywhere on the Great Lakes, Negwegon is a genuinely dark place to look for a star named through star-register.eu, and on the right night you might catch the aurora over the same horizon. Bring your certificate's coordinates and a stargazing app to your campsite or the beach, and let the lake horizon give you a clear, unobstructed view. Explore our star catalogue or a naming package, and see our observatories directory for more certified dark-sky sites.