Ashurst Lake is a lake in Coconino County, Arizona at about 2,171 m (7,123 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Mountainaire, about 25 km (15 mi) away (Ashurst Lake lies ESE of town).
Ashurst Lake is a small lake located on the Anderson Mesa 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Flagstaff. It is one of the few natural lakes in the state of Arizona, the bulk of which reside in the area. Unlike similarly sized lakes in the North Central Arizona region, Ashurst is fed by more reliable springs and has a reputation for retaining water even during long dry periods. The lake is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and thus a common destination for local anglers. Ashurst Lake is also considered a favorable fishing location for Northern Pike. The facilities are maintained under the authority of the Coconino National Forest. The lake has two campgrounds, Ashurst Lake on the west shore and Forked Pine on the east shore.From the Wikipedia article “Ashurst Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ashurst Lake 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:30 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:44 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:24 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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
Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:06 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:24 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:12 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Ashurst Lake, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:18 AM – 5:08 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:22 PM – 3:42 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:29 PM – 3:19 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:24 PM – 1:54 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:49 PM – 11:49 PM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:00 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:16 PM – 7:56 PM | 0.7 | 16° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 69 | 73 | 84 | 90 | 101 | 106 | 106 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | 4 | 3 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 39 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
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 lake
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
- A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Ashurst Lake, closest first.
Rock Formation
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Canyon
VolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ashurst Lake164 m · reservable
- Forked Pine Campground875 m
- Pinegrove5.2 km (3.2 mi) · reservable
- Lakeview Campground (Az)9.4 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
- Dairy Springs10.1 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ashurst Lake?
What time is golden hour at Ashurst Lake?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ashurst Lake?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ashurst Lake?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ashurst Lake?
How far is Ashurst Lake from Mountainaire?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.