Short-billed Gull flying over Lake Ewauna, Oregon.
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42.2133° N121.7786° W1,247 mBortle 6Los Angeles

Lake Ewauna Photography Guide

Lake in Klamath County, Oregon · 1,247 m (4,091 ft)

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–304°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Bobjgalindo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Located in Klamath County, Oregon, Lake Ewauna is a lake at about 1,247 m (4,091 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 1.3 km (0.8 mi) S of Klamath Falls.

Lake Ewauna is a reservoir in Klamath Falls, Oregon. It is the headwaters of the Klamath River, fed by the Link River from Upper Klamath Lake. Its constant level throughout the year is controlled by the release of water from Keno Dam, 18 mi (29 km) south of the Link River's mouth on the reservoir. Dam and reservoir are elements of the Klamath River Hydroelectric Project. Lake Ewauna is an ideal length for crew rowing, and the Ewauna Rowing Club has used the lake for practice and competition since 1970.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Ewauna”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Elevation
1,247 m
4,091 ft
Nearest town
Klamath Falls
1.3 km (0.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
July
20% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:49 PM
sunset 6:27 PM

Light at Lake Ewauna

Live
Sunrise
7:26 AM
Sunset
6:19 PM
Golden hour AM
7:09 AM – 8:05 AM
Golden hour PM
5:40 PM – 6:36 PM
Blue hour AM
6:58 AM – 7:09 AM
Blue hour PM
6:36 PM – 6:47 PM
Full darkness
7:52 PM – 5:54 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:42 PM / 1:24 AM
Day length
10h 53m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Lake Ewauna 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 304° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:11 AM90° E7:20 PM271° W48°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:32 AM57° ENE8:48 PM304° WNW71°15h 16m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:55 AM89° E7:06 PM271° W48°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:33 AM122° ESE4:39 PM239° WSW24°9h 05m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:03 AM7:34 AM8:17 AM4:17 PM5:00 PM5:31 PM9h 26m
February6:36 AM7:04 AM7:44 AM5:01 PM5:40 PM6:09 PM10h 36m
March6:52 AM7:20 AM7:57 AM6:37 PM7:14 PM7:42 PM11h 54m
April5:58 AM6:27 AM7:05 AM7:11 PM7:49 PM8:18 PM13h 22m
May5:15 AM5:47 AM6:27 AM7:42 PM8:22 PM8:54 PM14h 35m
June4:56 AM5:31 AM6:14 AM8:03 PM8:46 PM9:20 PM15h 15m
July5:11 AM5:45 AM6:26 AM8:01 PM8:43 PM9:16 PM14h 58m
August5:45 AM6:15 AM6:54 AM7:31 PM8:10 PM8:40 PM13h 54m
September6:20 AM6:48 AM7:25 AM6:42 PM7:19 PM7:47 PM12h 31m
October6:52 AM7:20 AM7:58 AM5:49 PM6:27 PM6:55 PM11h 06m
November6:28 AM6:58 AM7:40 AM4:05 PM4:47 PM5:17 PM9h 48m
December6:58 AM7:30 AM8:15 AM3:51 PM4:37 PM5:08 PM9h 07m

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 Ewauna, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
March4:47 AM – 5:37 AM0.815°SSE → SSE
April2:40 AM – 4:40 AM2.018°SE → S
May12:49 AM – 3:39 AM2.819°SSE → S
June11:00 PM – 3:10 AM4.219°SSE → SSW
July10:49 PM – 1:49 AM3.019°S → SSW
August9:57 PM – 11:47 PM1.818°S → SSW
September8:54 PM – 9:44 PM0.815°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.98 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 July as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F5960727887961009694867154
Low °F-12-10415212738352617-6-10
Precip. (in)3.12.93.02.21.81.00.40.40.71.63.14.4

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 Lake Ewauna, closest first.

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Lake Ewauna?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
What time is golden hour at Lake Ewauna?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:49 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:27 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:58 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Ewauna?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 57° in June to 122° in December; sunset ranges from 304° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Ewauna?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Ewauna?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Lake Ewauna from Klamath Falls?
About 1.3 km (0.8 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.