Lake Almanor — a lake in Plumas County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.5 km (5.3 mi) SE of Chester.
Lake Almanor is a large reservoir in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California, United States. The reservoir has a capacity of 1,308,000 acre-feet (1.613×109 m3) and a maximum depth of about 90 feet (27 meters). The surface area is 43.75 square miles (11,331.2 hectares). It is formed by Canyon Dam on the North Fork of the Feather River, as well as Benner and Last Chance Creeks, Hamilton Branch, and various natural springs.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Almanor”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Almanor 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (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 | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:38 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 121° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
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 | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 01m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 19m |
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 Lake Almanor, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 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 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:31 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:02 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 12:06 AM | 2.3 | 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 ≈ 21.8 mag/arcsec².
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lake Almanor, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Almanor4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Legacy Campground4.8 km (3.0 mi)
- Soldier Meadows Campground10.6 km (6.6 mi)
- High Bridge Campground15.7 km (9.7 mi)
- Warner Creek Campground17.5 km (10.9 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Almanor?
What time is golden hour at Lake Almanor?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Almanor?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Almanor?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Almanor?
How far is Lake Almanor from Chester?
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.