Mount Marquette is a gem, a hidden one to many, offering the best overlook Marquette has to offer over the city. A quick drive to the top and you have a couple options for sweeping panoramic views of the city, where it’s quite easy to spot most of my frequent sunrise locations, from Sugarloaf Mountain, to Presque Isle, to the Marquette Harbor Light, the historic Marquette Ore Dock, and others.

Though Mount Marquette offers one of the best sunrise vistas in all of Marquette County, it’s a seasonal location. And not just because of snowfall. The road is accessible about 7-8 months of the year. However, it offers an entirely northward facing view, and the treeline to the east begins to block the sun as it rises further south on the horizon.

While it’s a phenomenal spot to catch the full colors, as well as a sunset, beginning in September the sun starts to rise behind the tree line. Between snow melt in April or May, there is only about a four month window where this becomes a sunrise location. Unless you’re willing to hike up in the winter. I’m willing, and would love to, I’m just never that well prepared to get there early enough.

Of 1,359 published sunrises, 8 have been from Mount Marquette, representing 0.6% of the project.