Windsor Beach — a beach in Mohave County, Arizona — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Lake Havasu City, about 3.6 km (2.2 mi) away (Windsor Beach lies W of town).
Lake Havasu State Park is a public recreation area located on Lake Havasu in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. The state park provides outdoor recreation opportunities such as camping, boating, and fishing. The Arroyo-Camino Interpretive Garden displays local desert flora. Windsor Beach includes picnic tables and grills.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Havasu State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Windsor Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:42 AM | 90° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 61° ENE | 7:54 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:26 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 118° ESE | 5:32 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:17 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 52m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Windsor Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:29 AM – 5:19 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:27 AM – 4:27 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:31 PM – 3:51 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:38 PM – 3:38 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:33 PM – 2:13 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:58 PM – 12:08 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:10 PM – 10:00 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:27 PM – 8:07 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.98 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 16% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (41%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 87 | 88 | 97 | 103 | 111 | 120 | 121 | 118 | 116 | 106 | 94 | 82 |
| Low °F | 24 | 23 | 32 | 37 | 47 | 55 | 67 | 65 | 53 | 37 | 28 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Windsor Beach, closest first.
LighthouseLighthouseLighthouseLighthouseLighthouse
LakeLighthouseLighthouseLighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Windsor Beach?
What time is golden hour at Windsor Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Windsor Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Windsor Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Windsor Beach?
How far is Windsor Beach from Lake Havasu City?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.