Topaz Lake — a lake in Douglas County, Nevada at about 1,527 m (5,010 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest. It sits roughly 7.0 km (4.3 mi) SSW of Topaz Ranch Estates.
Topaz Lake is a reservoir located on the California-Nevada border, about 75 miles (121 km) south of Reno. The census-designated place of Topaz Lake, Nevada, is located along its northwest shore. The modern reservoir was formed by diverting waters from the West Walker River into a nearby basin that had previously contained a smaller, natural lake. That lake had historical significance since it lay on the route taken by American explorer Jedediah Smith in late spring of 1827 when leaving California at the end of his first journey, the first crossing ever of the Sierra Nevada by a non-native. Smith came southeast through Monitor Pass, then east past Topaz Lake into Nevada.From the Wikipedia article “Topaz Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Topaz Lake 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 59° ENE | 8:27 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 120° ESE | 4:41 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Topaz Lake, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 12:03 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.68 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 61 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Topaz Lake, closest first.
Mountain Pass
National Forest
Hot Spring
Canyon
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Centerville Flat Campground17.4 km (10.8 mi)
- Markleeville21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Campground (Ca)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Silver Creek24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Crystal Springs29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Topaz Lake?
What time is golden hour at Topaz Lake?
Where does the sun rise and set at Topaz Lake?
Can you see the Milky Way from Topaz Lake?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Topaz Lake?
How far is Topaz Lake from Topaz Ranch Estates?
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.