Lake Wenatchee State Park — a state park in Chelan County, Washington — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Leavenworth, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Lake Wenatchee State Park lies NNW of town).
Lake Wenatchee State Park is a public recreation area located at the eastern end of Lake Wenatchee, a glacier- and snowmelt-fed lake in the Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern slopes of the Cascades Mountain Range in the state of Washington. The state park covers 492 acres (199 ha) split into two parts—the north shore park and the south shore park—separated by the Wenatchee River. The park is managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Wenatchee State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Wenatchee State Park 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 308° (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) | 7:07 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 53° NE | 9:06 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 125° SE | 4:14 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 24m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 50m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 16m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 09m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:05 AM | 5:53 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:45 PM | 16h 00m |
| July | 4:41 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 38m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 18m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:12 PM | 4:48 PM | 8h 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 Wenatchee State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.7 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 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 | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:38 AM – 4:08 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:39 AM – 2:59 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:13 AM – 1:53 AM | 1.7 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:42 PM – 12:52 AM | 1.2 | 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 ≈ 21.65 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%). 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 | 51 | 51 | 64 | 75 | 86 | 95 | 93 | 94 | 90 | 78 | 60 | 45 |
| Low °F | -11 | -4 | -1 | 16 | 22 | 31 | 37 | 39 | 28 | 12 | -6 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 4.8 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Wenatchee State Park, closest first.
Lake
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
WaterfallFire LookoutWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Nason Creek Campground1.6 km (1.0 mi) · reservable
- Grouse Creek Group Site9.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- Tumwater Group Site14.8 km (9.2 mi)
- Rock Creek Campground18.3 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
- Tyee Lookout20 km (12 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Wenatchee State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Wenatchee State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Wenatchee State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Wenatchee State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Wenatchee State Park?
How far is Lake Wenatchee State Park from Leavenworth?
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.