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Empire Bluff

MI
44.8007°, -86.0713° Directions ↗
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Showing Paragliding. Switch wings up top ↑
Not flyable
High confidence · · Run: HRRR
The sun is not up yet — no daylight to fly
NESW 338° NNW
Flyability score
10
/100 · paragliding
Wind
9
mph base
Gusts
17
mph
Temp
55°
F
Dew point
41°
F
Elevation
974
ft MSL
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Location

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What we look for at Empire Bluff

Wind direction

WSW (250°) → WNW (290°)

The wind must blow from within this arc. Direction is the same for both wings.

Ideal speed

10–18 mph

Ceiling · Paragliding

≤ 19 mph base · gusts ≤ 23

Top of the range for paragliding (any rating). Switch wings up top to compare. Hang gliders hold roughly 10 mph more than paragliders.

About a 400-ft west-facing bluff over Lake Michigan in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, flown as a coastal ridge site in onshore westerly flow. Cool lake air keeps the bluff windy and colder than the parking lot; best soaring is early autumn. Landing on the beach below is a commitment — you cannot climb back up, so exit north to Empire Beach or south to Esch Road. P2+/H3+, plus an NPS special-use permit and registration at the Empire ranger station; max 5 gliders at a time and do not climb the bluff face.

Window data compiled from glidemichigan.com, nps.gov, public site guides and club resources.

Next 7 days How calls are made

Monday Flyable flyable 12pm–6pm 🌅 sunset 7:56 PM
7a
5g7
NNW
8a
5g6
N
9a
2g5
ENE
10a
1g3
ESE
11a
3g4
S
12p
6g7
WSW
1p
6g6
WSW
2p
7g8
WSW
3p
9g10
WSW
4p
7g11
WSW
5p
7g11
WSW
6p
8g13
WSW
7p
3g12
S
Flyable 12pm–6pm — best around 1pm: 6 mph WSW, gusts 6.
Tuesday Not flyable no window 🌅 sunset 7:54 PM
7a
16g33
S
8a
15g33
S
9a
14g32
S
10a
14g32
SSW
11a
17g33
SSW
12p
18g31
SW
1p
18g31
SW
2p
17g31
SW
3p
17g29
SSW
4p
14g24
SW
5p
15g25
SW
6p
14g23
SW
7p
12g23
WSW
Too gusty — gusts past the 23 mph limit through the day.
Wednesday Not flyable no window 🌅 sunset 7:52 PM
7a
4g6
ENE
8a
4g6
E
9a
5g8
E
10a
5g10
E
11a
5g12
E
12p
5g12
E
1p
4g12
ENE
2p
4g11
ENE
3p
4g12
ENE
4p
5g13
ENE
5p
6g13
NE
6p
7g13
NE
7p
7g12
ENE
Wind's out of the ENE most of the day — outside the working window, so cross/tail or rotor.
Thursday Not flyable no window 🌅 sunset 7:50 PM
7a
7g11
ESE
8a
6g11
ESE
9a
5g12
ESE
10a
3g13
E
11a
3g15
ENE
12p
4g16
NE
1p
5g18
NE
2p
6g19
NNE
3p
6g19
NNE
4p
6g20
NNE
5p
7g20
NNE
6p
7g19
NNE
7p
6g19
NNE
Wind's out of the NNE most of the day — outside the working window, so cross/tail or rotor.
Friday Not flyable no window 🌅 sunset 7:49 PM
7a
5g11
ESE
8a
5g12
ESE
9a
5g13
E
10a
6g14
E
11a
6g15
ENE
12p
5g15
ENE
1p
5g16
NE
2p
6g17
NE
3p
6g17
NNE
4p
7g18
NNE
5p
7g19
NNE
6p
7g19
NNE
7p
7g19
NE
Wind's out of the NNE most of the day — outside the working window, so cross/tail or rotor.
Saturday Not flyable no window 🌅 sunset 7:47 PM
7a
11g18
SE
8a
11g20
SE
9a
12g21
ESE
10a
13g22
ESE
11a
14g22
ESE
12p
14g22
SE
1p
14g21
SSE
2p
14g21
SSE
3p
12g22
SSE
4p
10g23
SE
5p
8g24
ESE
6p
8g24
ESE
7p
7g22
ESE
Rain in the forecast — not flyable.
Sunday Not flyable no window 🌅 sunset 7:45 PM
7a
10g17
E
8a
10g18
E
9a
10g18
E
10a
9g19
E
11a
9g19
E
12p
8g20
E
1p
7g20
ESE
2p
7g21
ESE
3p
7g21
ESE
4p
7g20
ESE
5p
7g20
SE
6p
7g20
SE
7p
8g19
SE
Wind's out of the E most of the day — outside the working window, so cross/tail or rotor.
See the full 7-day & hourly forecast
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Conditions are an automated estimate from public forecast models, not a go/no-go call. Always check the sky, talk to locals, and fly within your rating. You are responsible for your own safety.