Boulder Beach — a beach in Clark County, Nevada at about 367 m (1,204 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 7.0 km (4.3 mi) NNE of Boulder City.
From the National Park Service
Explore Boulder Beach Located in the western part of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Boulder Bay is just minutes from Las Vegas and stretches more than a mile along the shoreline of the Boulder Basin of Lake Mead.
When you visit Boulder Beach, you’ll have access to many recreation opportunities. Boulder Beach, Special Events Beach, Canoe/Kayak Beach, and PWC Beach are 1-2 miles away. At these locations you can kayak and jetski. If you prefer to explore the park on land, the River Mountains Loop Trail passes right by the campground. This paved trail is more than 30 miles long and leads to the Historic Railroad Trail.
Nearby Hemenway Harbor offers a fishing pier, boat launch ramp access, and Lake Mead & Las Vegas Bay Marinas. You can rent a boat for a few hours or dine at the docks. Lake Mead Cruises provides cruises on the lake to the Hoover Dam and back.
Boating Lake Level Changing : Keep Alert & Launch At Your Own Risk Boaters should excercise caution and be watchful of unexpected underwater and exposed water hazards. Hazard buoys do not mark every hazard on the water. Be prepared for longer wait times for launching and recovery Ongoing maintenance/construction at ramps may require temporary closures. The nearest motorized boating access from Boulder Beach is at Hemenway Harbor launch ramp. Rental boats are located nearby at Las Vegas Boat Harbor . Water-access fuel is located at the Las Vegas Boat Harbor (Hemenway Harbor), which is located near Boulder Beach.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Boulder Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:44 AM | 90° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 60° ENE | 8:00 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:47 AM | 119° ESE | 4:29 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 42m |
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 | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:00 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:27 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 44m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Boulder Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | 4:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:32 AM – 5:22 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:33 AM – 4:33 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:39 PM – 3:49 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:48 PM – 3:28 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:02 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:05 PM – 12:05 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:14 PM – 9:54 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:30 PM – 8:00 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.91 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). 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 | 79 | 80 | 90 | 99 | 109 | 116 | 116 | 115 | 113 | 100 | 89 | 75 |
| Low °F | 20 | 21 | 26 | 33 | 39 | 51 | 68 | 62 | 47 | 29 | 23 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Boulder Beach, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot SpringHot SpringHot SpringHot SpringScenic ViewpointHot Spring
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Boulder Beach Campground22 m · reservable
- Boulder Beach Group Campsites169 m · reservable
- Lake Mead Rv Village251 m
- Las Vegas Bay Campground11.9 km (7.4 mi)
- Las Vegas Bay Campground12.0 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Boulder Beach?
What time is golden hour at Boulder Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Boulder Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Boulder Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Boulder Beach?
How far is Boulder Beach from Boulder City?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service, USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.