Waptus Lake — a lake in Kittitas County, Washington at about 904 m (2,966 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It sits roughly 39 km (24 mi) NNW of Cle Elum.
Waptus Lake is an alpine freshwater lake located on the southern stretch of the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest in Kittitas County, Washington. Because of its proximity to Cooper Lake and the Pacific Crest Trail, Waptus Lake is a popular area for hiking, camping and fishing. Waptus Lake is surrounded by trails that lead to other Alpine lakes in the vicinity, including the Pete Lake and Spectacle Lake at the base of Chikamin Peak.From the Wikipedia article “Waptus Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Waptus Lake 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) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 53° NE | 9:06 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:04 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 | 8:38 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:16 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:28 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 37m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 07m |
| June | 4:27 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:56 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 57m |
| July | 4:45 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 35m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 17m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 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 | 7:10 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 20m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:51 PM | 8h 28m |
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 Waptus Lake, 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 ≈ 21.4 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Waptus Lake, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
WaterfallMountain Peak
Mountain Pass
LakeWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Salmon La Sac12.6 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Cayuse Horse Camp13.1 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Red Mountain Campground16.3 km (10.1 mi)
- Kachess17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Cle Elum River Group Site17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Waptus Lake?
What time is golden hour at Waptus Lake?
Where does the sun rise and set at Waptus Lake?
Can you see the Milky Way from Waptus Lake?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Waptus Lake?
How far is Waptus Lake from Cle Elum?
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.