Lake Buchanan — a lake in Llano County, Texas — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Buchanan Dam, about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) away (Lake Buchanan lies NE of town).
Lake Buchanan () was formed by the construction of Buchanan Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority to provide a water supply for the region and to provide hydroelectric power. Buchanan Dam, a structure over 2 mi (3.2 km) in length, was completed in 1939. Lake Buchanan was the first of the Texas Highland Lakes to be formed, and with 22,333 acres (34.9 sq mi; 90.4 km2) of surface water, it is also the largest. The surface of the lake includes area in both Burnet and Llano Counties. The lake is west of the city of Burnet, Texas. The other reservoirs on the Colorado River are Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, Lake Austin, and Lady Bird Lake. The lake is named for Representative James P. Buchanan (1867–1937), who is credited with securing the funding to build the lake and dam.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Buchanan (Texas)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Buchanan the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 62° ENE | 8:40 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 117° ESE | 5:37 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 22m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 08m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:06 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:55 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 10m |
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 Buchanan, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:03 AM – 6:23 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 5:36 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:17 PM – 4:47 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 3:24 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 1:24 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 11:22 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 9:24 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.33 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 85 | 92 | 92 | 101 | 103 | 107 | 111 | 110 | 107 | 100 | 90 | 85 |
| Low °F | 18 | 15 | 19 | 31 | 41 | 58 | 62 | 62 | 48 | 29 | 23 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lake Buchanan, closest first.
State Park
Cave
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Lake
Dark Sky PlaceFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Buchanan?
What time is golden hour at Lake Buchanan?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Buchanan?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Buchanan?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Buchanan?
How far is Lake Buchanan from Buchanan Dam?
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.