Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County) — a lake in Shasta County, California at about 2,036 m (6,680 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Lassen Volcanic National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) NW of Chester.
Summit Lake is a lake in the Lassen Volcanic National Park of Shasta County, California, east of California Route 89 at elevation 6,700 ft (2,000 m). Two campgrounds, named Summit Lake North and Summit Lake South, are located adjacent to the lake.From the Wikipedia article “Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County) 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) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:40 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 121° ESE | 4:43 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 | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:34 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 | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County), 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 | 5:23 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 3:48 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:24 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:05 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 11:58 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 7:58 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 ≈ 21.83 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
- 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.
- 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 Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County), closest first.
Waterfall
Volcano
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Lake
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Scenic Viewpoint
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Summit Lake North257 m · reservable
- Summit Lake South274 m · reservable
- Summit Lake Stock Corral504 m · reservable
- Warner Valley Campground6.1 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Lost Creek Group11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County)?
What time is golden hour at Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County)?
How far is Summit Lake (Reading Peak, Shasta County) from Chester?
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.