Lake Opeka — a lake in Cook County, Illinois at about 192 m (630 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) NNW of Rosemont.
Lake Opeka is a small, 40 acres (16 ha) lake in Des Plaines, Illinois. It is located in the Des Plaines Park District's 76-acre Lake Park. The man-made lake was created out of what had been farmland to provide dirt for the construction of nearby Interstate 90 (the Jane Addams Tollway). According to a sign at Lake Park, it took two years for 2 million gallons of spring-fed water to fill the lake. After the highway was completed, the Des Plaines Park District acquired 60 acres including the new lake for $1 in 1957, and opened Lake Park in 1961. In subsequent years, the park district acquired several parcels of land that had been owned by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, which was located on the northern bank of the lake. In 2021, the church closed and sold its building to the park district. The building was converted into a restaurant, which opened in 2023.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Opeka”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Opeka the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 57° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 122° ESE | 4:24 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 07m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 13m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 08m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Opeka, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:32 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:24 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 3:33 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 3:02 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 1:42 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 11:41 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:39 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.08 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (85%). August 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 | 50 | 54 | 65 | 68 | 79 | 83 | 91 | 88 | 84 | 75 | 68 | 58 |
| Low °F | -9 | -2 | 0 | 25 | 34 | 40 | 53 | 56 | 47 | 34 | 19 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 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
- 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 Opeka, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Opeka?
What time is golden hour at Lake Opeka?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Opeka?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Opeka?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Opeka?
How far is Lake Opeka from Rosemont?
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.