Lake Tahoe State Park — a state park in Washoe County, Nevada — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Carson City, about 10.8 km (6.7 mi) away (Lake Tahoe State Park lies W of town).
Lake Tahoe–Nevada State Park is a state park comprising multiple management units and public recreation areas on the northeast shores of Lake Tahoe in the U.S. state of Nevada. The park covers approximately 14,301 acres (5,787 ha). The Marlette Lake Water System, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, lies within park boundaries.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Tahoe–Nevada State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Tahoe State Park 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 59° ENE | 8:30 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 120° ESE | 4:41 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 26m |
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 Tahoe State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:01 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:02 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.62 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 70 | 71 | 78 | 86 | 95 | 101 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 89 | 74 | 63 |
| Low °F | 5 | 9 | 17 | 21 | 26 | 32 | 47 | 44 | 32 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Lake Tahoe State Park, closest first.
BeachBeach
Canyon
Mountain PassCanyon
Beach
Hot Spring
State Park
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mount Rose (Nv) 15.7 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Zephyr Cove Rv & Campground19.0 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- Nevada Beach Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- William Kent Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Kaspian Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Tahoe State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Tahoe State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Tahoe State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Tahoe State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Tahoe State Park?
How far is Lake Tahoe State Park from Carson City?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.