Located in Marin County, California, Belvedere Lagoon is a lake.
Belvedere Lagoon is an artificial lagoon on San Francisco Bay in Belvedere in Marin County, California. Narrow strips of land separate it from Richardson Bay (to the northwest) and Raccoon Strait. The lagoon is owned and maintained by the Belvedere Lagoon Property Owners' Association. The lagoon is not accessible by boat from San Francisco Bay, and no public access is provided. Until somewhat late in the 20th century houseboats were present in Belvedere Lagoon.From the Wikipedia article “Belvedere Lagoon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Belvedere Lagoon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (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 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:55 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Belvedere Lagoon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Belvedere Lagoon, closest first.
Lighthouse
Mountain Peak
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Kirby Cove Campground4.5 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- Hawk Campground5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Haypress Campground7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Bicentennial Campground7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok)8.5 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Belvedere Lagoon?
What time is golden hour at Belvedere Lagoon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Belvedere Lagoon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Belvedere Lagoon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Belvedere Lagoon?
How far is Belvedere Lagoon from Belvedere?
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.