Located in Alameda County, California, Lake Anza is a lake. The nearest town is Kensington, about 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away (Lake Anza lies ESE of town).
Lake Anza is a recreational swimming reservoir, located within the Tilden Regional Park, in the Berkeley Hills above Berkeley, California.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Anza”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Anza 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) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 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) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 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 | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 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 Lake Anza, 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 8 (city 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 | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.14 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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Anza, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Canyon
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Beach
State Park
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok)18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Kirby Cove Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Rob Hill Group Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Hawk Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Bicentennial Campground25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Anza?
What time is golden hour at Lake Anza?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Anza?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Anza?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Anza?
How far is Lake Anza from Kensington?
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.