Lake Elsinore — a lake in Riverside County, California at about 379 m (1,243 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.4 km (1.5 mi) WSW of Lake Elsinore.
Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, United States, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named Laguna Grande by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsinore, established on its northeastern shore on April 9, 1888. Lake water levels have fluctuated greatly from dry spells to flooding. Lake Elsinore was home to the Lake Shore Beach Club, an African American resort.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Elsinore”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Elsinore 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) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 61° ENE | 8:04 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 118° ESE | 4:46 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 | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 10m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 26m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 56m |
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 Elsinore, 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 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:28 AM – 5:08 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:30 AM – 5:30 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:38 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:10 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:46 PM – 3:46 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:19 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.36 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (43%). August 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 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 102 | 101 | 91 | 82 |
| Low °F | 35 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 47 | 49 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 48 | 38 | 38 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 |
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
- 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 Elsinore, closest first.
CanyonCanyonCanyonCanyon
WaterfallCanyon
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Elsinore?
What time is golden hour at Lake Elsinore?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Elsinore?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Elsinore?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Elsinore?
How far is Lake Elsinore from Lake Elsinore?
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.