Afognak Forest is a national forest in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska. The nearest town is Eagle River, about 15.6 km (9.7 mi) away (Afognak Forest lies ESE of town).
Afognak Forest and Fish Culture was established by the United States General Land Office in Alaska on December 24, 1892, as a forest preserve. It covered 403,640 acres (1,633.5 km2) in 1905, when the forest reserves were transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. On July 1, 1908, the entire forest was combined with Chugach National Forest and the name was discontinued.From the Wikipedia article “Afognak Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Afognak Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 32° (NNE) at the June solstice and 143° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 329° (NNW) in June to 217° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 52° in summer but only 5° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:59 AM | 89° E | 8:12 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:18 AM | 32° NNE | 11:41 PM | 329° NNW | 52° | 19h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:42 AM | 88° E | 7:59 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:13 AM | 143° SE | 3:39 PM | 217° SW | 5° | 5h 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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:59 AM | 9:56 AM | 11:44 AM | 2:30 PM | 4:19 PM | 5:15 PM | 6h 23m |
| February | 7:55 AM | 8:41 AM | 9:48 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:30 PM | 9h 03m |
| March | 7:32 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:13 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:42 PM | 11h 44m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:19 PM | 10:08 PM | 14h 43m |
| May | 4:00 AM | 5:10 AM | 6:21 AM | 9:28 PM | 10:39 PM | 11:49 PM | 17h 29m |
| June | — | 4:19 AM | 5:45 AM | 10:12 PM | 11:38 PM | — | 19h 20m |
| July | 3:16 AM | 4:50 AM | 6:08 AM | 10:00 PM | 11:18 PM | 12:52 AM | 18h 29m |
| August | 5:12 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:56 PM | 9:59 PM | 10:53 PM | 15h 52m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:22 PM | 9:06 PM | 12h 57m |
| October | 7:57 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:43 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:31 PM | 10h 06m |
| November | 8:13 AM | 9:05 AM | 10:32 AM | 2:54 PM | 4:21 PM | 5:13 PM | 7h 17m |
| December | 9:06 AM | 10:08 AM | — | — | 3:39 PM | 4:41 PM | 5h 30m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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 ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 63% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (83%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 40 | 40 | 52 | 62 | 70 | 81 | 83 | 80 | 67 | 56 | 43 | 39 |
| Low °F | -25 | -20 | -21 | -1 | 15 | 33 | 39 | 35 | 19 | -1 | -18 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
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 national forest
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Afognak Forest, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Afognak Forest?
What time is golden hour at Afognak Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Afognak Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Afognak Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Afognak Forest?
How far is Afognak Forest from Eagle River?
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.