Panguitch Lake is a lake in Garfield County, Utah at about 2,504 m (8,215 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 22 km (13 mi) SE of Parowan.
Panguitch Lake () was originally a large natural lake (777 acres) that has now been expanded by the creation of a 24-foot (7 m) dam to become a reservoir with a maximum surface area of 1,248 acres (5 km2). The lake, which drains into the Sevier River is located on the Markagunt Plateau, between Panguitch, Utah and Cedar Breaks National Monument. The lake is located in the Dixie National Forest in a high tourist use area near three national parks and one national monument. Panguitch Lake contains several campgrounds. Convenience stores and a Latter-day Saint chapel are within walking distance of the campgrounds, and the roads are well paved and maintained. Road access to the lake is provided by Utah State Route 143, also known as the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway or Utah's Patchwork Parkway.From the Wikipedia article “Panguitch Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Panguitch 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:10 AM | 59° ENE | 8:56 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 120° ESE | 5:16 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 34m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Panguitch Lake, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:36 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:40 AM – 5:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:39 AM – 4:29 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:50 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:43 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 12:43 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:39 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 81 | 70 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 0 | 16 | 21 | 29 | 44 | 41 | 25 | 10 | 0 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Panguitch Lake, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Cave
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Dark Sky Place
Volcano
Natural Arch
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Panguitch Lake1.9 km (1.2 mi) · reservable
- White Bridge6.1 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Point Supreme Campground20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Duck Creek22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Spruces Campground (Dixie Nf)25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Panguitch Lake?
What time is golden hour at Panguitch Lake?
Where does the sun rise and set at Panguitch Lake?
Can you see the Milky Way from Panguitch Lake?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Panguitch Lake?
How far is Panguitch Lake from Parowan?
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.