Verdi Lake (Nevada) is a lake in Elko County, Nevada at about 3,104 m (10,184 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 22 km (13 mi) ESE of Spring Creek.
Verdi Lake is a glacial tarn in the Ruby Mountains of Elko County, Nevada, United States. It is within the Ruby Mountains Wilderness, which is administered by the Ruby Mountains Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The lake is located at the head of Talbot Canyon at approximately 40°38.9′N 115°21.2′W, and at an elevation of 10,184 feet (3,104 m). Directly to the south rises Verdi Peak. It has an area of approximately 6 acres (2.4 hectares), and a depth of up to 86 feet (26 m). Verdi Lake is unusual in two respects. It is the highest lake in the Ruby Mountains, and is therefore the last to thaw out in the spring. Also, it does not normally have a surface outlet. Lake water seeps into the soil and emerges as a spring several hundred yards down Talbot Canyon. This is the major source of flow to Talbot Creek, which after exiting the mountains passes near the community...From the Wikipedia article “Verdi Lake (Nevada)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Verdi Lake (Nevada) 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) | 6:46 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 58° ENE | 8:17 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:40 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 121° ESE | 4:18 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:46 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:35 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:23 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:48 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:10 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:43 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:16 PM | 4:47 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Verdi Lake (Nevada), 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 20° 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 | 4:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:19 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 3:25 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:21 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 1:32 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:24 PM – 11:34 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 9:35 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:33 PM – 7:33 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 ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). July 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 | 62 | 64 | 73 | 81 | 92 | 98 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 83 | 70 | 54 |
| Low °F | -18 | -6 | -1 | 15 | 19 | 27 | 42 | 40 | 26 | 8 | -8 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 |
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
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- 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.
- 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 Verdi Lake (Nevada), closest first.
Mountain Peak
Lake
Mountain Peak
Lake
Canyon
Wilderness Area
Lake
Lake
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Terraces Campground - Picnic Area2.2 km (1.4 mi) · reservable
- Thomas Canyon4.3 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Powerhouse Group Picnic Area10.4 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Verdi Lake (Nevada)?
What time is golden hour at Verdi Lake (Nevada)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Verdi Lake (Nevada)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Verdi Lake (Nevada)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Verdi Lake (Nevada)?
How far is Verdi Lake (Nevada) from Spring Creek?
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.