Chugach National Forest is a national forest in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. It sits roughly 36 km (22 mi) NNE of Bear Creek.
The Chugach National Forest is a 6,908,540-acre (27,958 km2) United States National Forest in south central Alaska. Covering portions of Prince William Sound, the Kenai Peninsula and the Copper River Delta, it was formed in 1907 from part of a larger forest reserve. The Chugach includes extensive shorelines, glaciers, forests and rivers, much of which is untouched by roads or trails. It hosts numerous bird, mammal and marine species, including extensive shorebird habitat and a bald eagle population larger than the contiguous 48 states combined. Human industry in the forest includes extensive tourism and some mining and oil and gas operations.From the Wikipedia article “Chugach National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chugach National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 34° (NE) at the June solstice and 142° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 327° (NNW) in June to 219° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 53° in summer but only 6° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:58 AM | 89° E | 8:11 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:28 AM | 34° NE | 11:31 PM | 327° NNW | 53° | 19h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:42 AM | 88° E | 7:58 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:04 AM | 142° SE | 3:47 PM | 219° SW | 6° | 5h 43m |
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 | 8:54 AM | 9:48 AM | 11:27 AM | 2:46 PM | 4:25 PM | 5:19 PM | 6h 37m |
| February | 7:52 AM | 8:37 AM | 9:42 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:31 PM | 9h 09m |
| March | 7:32 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:10 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:41 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:16 PM | 10:03 PM | 14h 37m |
| May | 4:10 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:24 AM | 9:23 PM | 10:32 PM | 11:38 PM | 17h 16m |
| June | 2:28 AM | 4:28 AM | 5:50 AM | 10:06 PM | 11:28 PM | 1:28 AM | 19h 00m |
| July | 3:34 AM | 4:57 AM | 6:12 AM | 9:54 PM | 11:09 PM | 12:32 AM | 18h 13m |
| August | 5:17 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:53 PM | 9:54 PM | 10:46 PM | 15h 44m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:21 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:20 PM | 9:03 PM | 12h 55m |
| October | 7:55 AM | 8:38 AM | 9:38 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:31 PM | 10h 10m |
| November | 8:09 AM | 8:59 AM | 10:21 AM | 3:03 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:16 PM | 7h 27m |
| December | 9:00 AM | 9:59 AM | 12:20 PM | 1:25 PM | 3:46 PM | 4:45 PM | 5h 47m |
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 | — | -11° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.5+ 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 69% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 34 | 34 | 37 | 46 | 59 | 76 | 77 | 75 | 62 | 49 | 41 | 36 |
| Low °F | -22 | -18 | -24 | -3 | 13 | 30 | 35 | 32 | 23 | -2 | -15 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.1 | 5.9 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 6.7 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 7.3 |
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
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Chugach National Forest, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lake
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
Glacier
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Upper Paradise Lake Cabin12.1 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Lower Paradise Lake Cabin12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Ptarmigan Creek14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Trail River14.9 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Trail River Cabin15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chugach National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Chugach National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chugach National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chugach National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chugach National Forest?
How far is Chugach National Forest from Bear Creek?
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.