Gavins Point Dam on the Missouri River near Yankton, South Dakota as seen from the Nebraska side. It created the Lewis and Clark Lake which can be seen in the b
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42.8625° N97.4917° WBortle 4Chicago

Lewis and Clark Lake Photography Guide

Lake in Yankton County, South Dakota

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–304°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Jake DeGroot · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Yankton County, South Dakota, Lewis and Clark Lake is a lake. It sits roughly 7.8 km (4.8 mi) W of Yankton.

Lewis and Clark Lake is a 31,400 acre (130 km2) reservoir located on the border of the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota on the Missouri River. The lake is approximately 25 miles (40 km) in length with over 90 miles (140 km) of shoreline and a maximum water depth of 45 feet (14 m). The lake is impounded by Gavins Point Dam and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District.From the Wikipedia article “Lewis and Clark Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Yankton
7.8 km (4.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
43% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:10 PM
sunset 6:49 PM

Light at Lewis and Clark Lake

Live
Sunrise
7:50 AM
Sunset
6:41 PM
Golden hour AM
7:32 AM – 8:29 AM
Golden hour PM
6:02 PM – 6:59 PM
Blue hour AM
7:21 AM – 7:32 AM
Blue hour PM
6:59 PM – 7:10 PM
Full darkness
8:15 PM – 6:17 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:04 PM / 1:41 AM
Day length
10h 51m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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 Lewis and Clark Lake the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (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)7:34 AM90° E7:42 PM271° W47°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:52 AM56° ENE9:13 PM304° NW71°15h 21m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:18 AM89° E7:29 PM271° W47°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:58 AM122° ESE4:59 PM238° WSW24°9h 01m

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
January7:27 AM7:59 AM8:43 AM4:37 PM5:21 PM5:53 PM9h 23m
February6:59 AM7:28 AM8:08 AM5:22 PM6:02 PM6:31 PM10h 33m
March7:15 AM7:43 AM8:20 AM6:59 PM7:37 PM8:05 PM11h 54m
April6:20 AM6:49 AM7:27 AM7:34 PM8:12 PM8:42 PM13h 23m
May5:35 AM6:08 AM6:49 AM8:06 PM8:46 PM9:19 PM14h 38m
June5:16 AM5:52 AM6:35 AM8:28 PM9:11 PM9:46 PM15h 19m
July5:31 AM6:05 AM6:47 AM8:26 PM9:08 PM9:42 PM15h 02m
August6:06 AM6:37 AM7:16 AM7:55 PM8:34 PM9:04 PM13h 57m
September6:42 AM7:10 AM7:48 AM7:04 PM7:42 PM8:10 PM12h 31m
October7:15 AM7:44 AM8:22 AM6:10 PM6:49 PM7:17 PM11h 05m
November6:52 AM7:23 AM8:05 AM4:26 PM5:08 PM5:39 PM9h 45m
December7:22 AM7:55 AM8:41 AM4:11 PM4:57 PM5:30 PM9h 03m

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 Lewis and Clark Lake, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
March5:11 AM – 6:01 AM0.815°SSE → SSE
April3:14 AM – 5:04 AM1.818°SSE → S
May1:16 AM – 4:06 AM2.818°SSE → S
June11:27 PM – 3:27 AM4.018°SSE → SSW
July11:16 PM – 2:06 AM2.818°S → SSW
August10:22 PM – 12:12 AM1.818°S → SSW
September9:18 PM – 10:08 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 43% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (65%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F5872859097105112109103917863
Low °F-23-12-12122442504637145-16
Precip. (in)0.60.81.43.13.84.22.83.52.92.41.01.0

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

  • 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.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

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.

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Lewis and Clark Lake?
September 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 Lewis and Clark Lake?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:10 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:49 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:22 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Lewis and Clark Lake?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 122° in December; sunset ranges from 304° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lewis and Clark Lake?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lewis and Clark Lake?
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 Lewis and Clark Lake from Yankton?
About 7.8 km (4.8 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata, 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.