Located in Gila County, Arizona, Theodore Roosevelt Lake is a lake. It lies in or next to Tonto National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Tonto Basin, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Theodore Roosevelt Lake lies SE of town).
Theodore Roosevelt Lake (usually called Roosevelt Lake, sometimes Lake Roosevelt) is a large reservoir formed by Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River in Arizona as part of the Salt River Project (SRP). Located roughly 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Phoenix in the Salt River Valley, Theodore Roosevelt is the largest lake or reservoir located entirely within the state of Arizona (Lake Mead and Lake Powell are larger but are both located partially within the bordering states of Nevada and Utah respectively). The reservoir and the masonry dam that created it, Roosevelt Dam, were both named after US president Theodore Roosevelt who dedicated the dam himself on March 18, 1911. Roosevelt Lake is a popular recreation destination within the Tonto National Forest, which manages the facilities at the lake.From the Wikipedia article “Theodore Roosevelt Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Theodore Roosevelt Lake 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 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 61° ENE | 7:39 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 118° ESE | 5:21 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 55m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 10m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:06 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 56m |
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 Theodore Roosevelt Lake, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:14 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:16 PM – 3:46 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:22 PM – 3:22 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:18 PM – 1:58 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:44 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:57 PM – 9:57 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 7:55 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (49%). 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 | 81 | 82 | 93 | 98 | 107 | 114 | 112 | 110 | 109 | 101 | 91 | 79 |
| Low °F | 16 | 19 | 25 | 31 | 39 | 53 | 65 | 64 | 50 | 33 | 23 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
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
- 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.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- 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 Theodore Roosevelt Lake, closest first.
Hot Spring
Dark Sky Place
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Cave
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Frazier Horse Campground1.9 km (1.2 mi) · reservable
- Frazier Group Campground2.1 km (1.3 mi) · reservable
- Windy Hill Campground5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Burnt Corral Campground7.0 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Cholla Campground8.3 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Theodore Roosevelt Lake?
What time is golden hour at Theodore Roosevelt Lake?
Where does the sun rise and set at Theodore Roosevelt Lake?
Can you see the Milky Way from Theodore Roosevelt Lake?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Theodore Roosevelt Lake?
How far is Theodore Roosevelt Lake from Tonto Basin?
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.