Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area in Washington. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 2 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Lake Roosevelt
We matched 2 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Lake Roosevelt. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Beaches (2)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Lake Roosevelt the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:40 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:27 PM | 239° | 8h 48m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:16 PM | 252° | 10h 15m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:59 PM | 268° | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:44 PM | 286° | 13h 40m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:26 PM | 300° | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:42 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:56 PM | 308° | 16h 03m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:57 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:50 PM | 305° | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:09 PM | 292° | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:08 PM | 276° | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:06 PM | 258° | 10h 53m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:17 PM | 243° | 9h 15m |
| December | 7:38 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:07 PM | 4:01 PM | 235° | 8h 23m |
Computed for the park's reference point (48.1715, -118.3514); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Lake Roosevelt, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| April | 3:30 AM – 4:00 AM | 0.5 | 12° |
| May | 1:34 AM – 2:34 AM | 1.0 | 13° |
| June | 12:19 AM – 1:19 AM | 1.0 | 13° |
| July | 11:40 PM – 12:30 AM | 0.8 | 12° |
| August | 10:15 PM – 10:35 PM | 0.3 | 11° |
| September | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Lake Roosevelt is generally a cool or cold place from fall through spring with overcast skies. In the summer, the skies clear and present warm to hot days. More information on weather can be found under Alerts and Conditions.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and January 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.
Getting there
From Spokane Take I-90 West. At Exit 277, merge onto US-2 toward Davenport/Fairchild AFB/Spokane Airport. Just past Wilbur, turn right onto WA-21. Stay left onto Highway 174. Turn right onto WA-155. Stay on WA-155 past Grand Coulee Dam and into the town of Coulee Dam. Cross the Columbia River and continue on WA-155. Turn right onto Crest Drive and follow up the hill. The Headquarters Office is located on the left.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Sailing
- Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Volunteer Vacation
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
