Lake Powell — a lake in Coconino County, Arizona — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Page, about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) away (Lake Powell lies NW of town).
Lake Powell is a reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona, United States. It is a major vacation destination visited by approximately two million people every year. It holds 24,322,000 acre-feet (3.0001×1010 m3) of water when full, second in the United States to only the downstream reservoir of Lake Mead – though Lake Mead has fallen below Lake Powell in size several times during the 21st century in terms of volume of water, depth, and surface area. Lake Powell was created by the flooding of Glen Canyon by the Glen Canyon Dam, which also led to the 1972 creation of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a popular summer destination of public land managed by the National Park Service. The reservoir is named for John Wesley Powell. This Civil War veteran explored the river via three wooden boats in 1869. It lies primarily in southern Utah, with a small portion in northern Arizona.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Powell”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Powell 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:30 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 60° ENE | 7:49 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:24 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 119° ESE | 5:14 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:01 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:26 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:27 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 4:50 AM | 5:19 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 4:36 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:45 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 4:49 AM | 5:19 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:16 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 5:16 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 5:43 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:17 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Lake Powell, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:23 AM – 4:13 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:31 PM – 3:31 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 3:10 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:34 PM – 1:44 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:55 PM – 11:45 PM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:03 PM – 9:43 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 7:47 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.42 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 62 | 67 | 79 | 86 | 96 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 77 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 50 | 49 | 32 | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 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 lake
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
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 Lake Powell, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
CanyonScenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Canyon
CanyonNatural ArchNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Beehives Primitive Campground1.1 km (0.7 mi)
- Antelope Point Rv Park5.2 km (3.2 mi)
- Wahweap Campground & Rv Park6.9 km (4.3 mi)
- Colorado River Primitive Camping Between Glen Canyon Dam And Lees Ferry12.0 km (7.4 mi)
- Lees Ferry Campground13.8 km (8.6 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Powell?
What time is golden hour at Lake Powell?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Powell?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Powell?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Powell?
How far is Lake Powell from Page?
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.