Butte Lake is a lake in Lassen County, California at about 1,845 m (6,053 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Lassen Volcanic National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 29 km (18 mi) N of Chester.
Butte Lake is a lake located in the northeast section of Lassen Volcanic National Park in the U.S. state of California at an elevation of 6,053 ft (1,845 m).From the Wikipedia article “Butte Lake (California)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
Season: May through November; road closed winter/spring Access : Dirt road Fees : An entrance fee receipt or pass is required Note: No services except restrooms and water; no cell service
The Butte Lake boat launch, trailheads, and picnic area are located on the western tip of Butte Lake. Both flush and vault toilets are available. Flush toilets and drinking water are available when the adjacent Butte Lake Campground is open (and the area water system is on). A self-pay entrance station is located at the junction of the campground and day use area. Get There This remote area is located in the northeast corner of the park and is accessed via a six-mile dirt road off of Highway 44. View directions to the Butte Lake Area . The gravel road to Butte Lake is passable by passenger vehicles. Parking is available, but limited for RVs and trailers. Scenic Views Many spots on the northern shore of Butte Lake offer excellent views of the Fantastic Lava Beds (lava flow), Cinder Cone, and Prospect Peak. Boat Launch A short spur at the southwest end of the parking area drops down to a small loop for non-motorized boat launch. There is no dock or equipment here. The boat launch is a clear area with space for vehicles with trailers to drop off watercraft and turn around. Fishing is not permitted in the boat launch area. Swimming Butte Lake is often not as cold as other high-elevation lakes in the park. Sections of the shore consist of rough sand or small gravel and are popular for swimming. River otters are rarely sighted in this lake. Keep your distance; females can act aggressively when protecting young. Picnic Area A small picnic area is located between the parking area and the shore of Butte Lake. A handful of picnic tables offer seating under conifer trees and some have charcoal grills. Trailheads Butte Lake Day Use Area includes trailheads for Cinder Cone , Bathtub Lake, and Snag Lake Trails. Each trailhead is marked by a bulletin board that offers information about the trail. The Snag Lake Trailhead is a popular starting point for backpacking . A free permit is required for backpacking and stock use; self-registration is available at the Butte Lake Ranger Station (not staffed). Fishing Butte Lake offers excellent fishing, with rainbow trout being the most common fish caught in the lake. Fishing from the shore is possible in places, but brush and con
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Butte Lake the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 58° ENE | 8:40 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 121° ESE | 4:42 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Butte Lake, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 3:47 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:23 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:04 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 11:57 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.84 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 59 | 64 | 65 | 74 | 88 | 94 | 102 | 99 | 96 | 87 | 74 | 58 |
| Low °F | -1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 27 | 38 | 35 | 26 | 21 | -2 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.0 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 7.1 |
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.
- 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 Butte Lake, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Lake
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
Lake
Lake
Lake
Fire Lookout
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Butte Lake Stock Corral1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Butte Lake1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Butte Lake Group1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Juniper Lake Stock Corral12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Juniper Lake Group12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Butte Lake?
What time is golden hour at Butte Lake?
Where does the sun rise and set at Butte Lake?
Can you see the Milky Way from Butte Lake?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Butte Lake?
How far is Butte Lake from Chester?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, 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.