Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area in Arizona, Nevada. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 7 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Lake Mead
We matched 7 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Lake Mead. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Lakes (2)
Canyons (1)
Beaches (1)
Ghost Towns (1)
Botanical Gardens (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Lake Mead the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:48 AM | 8:26 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:47 PM | 244° | 9h 59m |
| February | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:19 PM | 255° | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:45 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 283° | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:37 PM | 294° | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:56 PM | 300° | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 298° | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 288° | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:46 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:03 PM | 260° | 11h 18m |
| November | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:31 PM | 248° | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:42 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 242° | 9h 44m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.9662, -114.3469); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Lake Mead, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:30 AM – 5:20 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:31 AM – 4:31 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 11:37 PM – 3:47 AM | 4.2 | 25° |
| June | 9:46 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.7 | 25° |
| July | 9:40 PM – 2:00 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:03 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:13 PM – 9:53 PM | 1.7 | 22° |
| October | 7:28 PM – 7:58 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Spring (April, May and June): Daytime highs 80 °F to 98 °F. Nighttime lows 50 °F to 66 °F Summer* (July, August and September): Daytime highs 89 °F to 103 °F (It can get up to 117 °F.) Fall (October, November and December): Daytime highs 59 °F to 83 °F. Nighttime lows 32 °F to 50 °F. Winter (January, February and March) Daytime highs 57 °F to 69 °F. Nighttime lows 30 °F to 40 °F. *Summer can be a dangerous time due to excessive heat. Some trails are closed for public safety.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (43%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
By car you can drive to one of the park's many entrances. The six main entrances to Lake Mead are as follows: Northshore, Lake Mead Boulevard, Lake Mead Parkway, and Boulder, Temple Bar, and Meadview. For the southern sections of the park, near Lake Mohave, there are entrance stations at Willow Beach, Katherine Landing and Cottonwood Cove.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Sailing
- Jet Skiing
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Flying
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
Nearby parks
AZ
NV
CA
CA
AZ
UT