Lake Ilswoot — a lake in King County, Washington at about 1,400 m (4,593 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It sits roughly 39 km (24 mi) ENE of Tanner.
Lake Iiswoot is a freshwater lake located on the western region of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, in King County, Washington. It is located on the eastern slope of Necklace Valley. Lake Iiswoot and its surrounding lakes and peaks is a popular area for hiking, swimming, and fishing. Self-issued Alpine Lake Wilderness permit required for transit within the Necklace Valley area.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Iiswoot”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Ilswoot the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 53° NE | 9:07 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 125° SE | 4:17 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 26m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:16 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:29 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 07m |
| June | 4:27 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:56 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 57m |
| July | 4:45 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:13 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 36m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 17m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 19m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:40 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:51 PM | 8h 27m |
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 Ilswoot, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| April | 3:39 AM – 4:19 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:38 AM – 2:58 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:09 AM – 1:59 AM | 1.8 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:40 PM – 1:00 AM | 1.3 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:22 PM – 10:52 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.34 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 36% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (76%). August 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 | 53 | 49 | 59 | 71 | 78 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 89 | 72 | 57 | 46 |
| Low °F | -16 | -11 | -4 | 6 | 20 | 28 | 36 | 35 | 27 | 5 | -10 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.9 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 10.3 | 9.6 |
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
- 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.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lake Ilswoot, closest first.
Mountain Peak
WaterfallWaterfall
Mountain Peak
Wilderness AreaWaterfall
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakMountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Miller River Group Camp16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
- Beckler River Campground17.5 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Money Creek Campground19.9 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Middle Fork Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Salmon La Sac23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Ilswoot?
What time is golden hour at Lake Ilswoot?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Ilswoot?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Ilswoot?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Ilswoot?
How far is Lake Ilswoot from Tanner?
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.