Located in Petersburg Borough, Alaska, Tongass National Forest is a national forest. The nearest town is Petersburg, about 7.5 km (4.7 mi) away (Tongass National Forest lies SSW of town).
The Tongass National Forest () in Southeast Alaska is the largest U.S. National Forest at 16.7 million acres (26,100 sq mi; 6,800,000 ha; 68,000 km2), an expanse larger than 10 U.S. states and 75 U.N. member nations. Most of its area is temperate rain forest and is remote enough to be home to many species of endangered and rare flora and fauna. The Tongass, which is managed by the United States Forest Service, encompasses islands of the Alexander Archipelago, fjords and glaciers, and peaks of the Coast Mountains. An international border with Canada (British Columbia) runs along the crest of the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains. The forest is administered from Forest Service headquarters offices in Ketchikan. There are local ranger district offices located in Craig, Hoonah, Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Thorne Bay, Wrangell, and Yakutat.From the Wikipedia article “Tongass National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tongass National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 42° (NE) at the June solstice and 135° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 319° (NW) in June to 226° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 57° in summer but only 10° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 33° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:00 AM | 42° NE | 9:49 PM | 319° NW | 57° | 17h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 88° E | 6:53 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:28 AM | 135° SE | 3:14 PM | 226° SW | 10° | 6h 46m |
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 | 7:32 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:32 AM | 2:32 PM | 3:46 PM | 4:32 PM | 7h 28m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:17 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 34m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:04 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 16m |
| May | 3:44 AM | 4:36 AM | 5:34 AM | 8:04 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:55 PM | 16h 27m |
| June | 2:54 AM | 4:00 AM | 5:06 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:47 PM | 10:53 PM | 17h 47m |
| July | 3:24 AM | 4:23 AM | 5:25 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:34 PM | 10:33 PM | 17h 12m |
| August | 4:37 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 12m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 48m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 26m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:39 AM | 2:36 PM | 3:42 PM | 4:25 PM | 8h 09m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:47 AM | 1:49 PM | 3:13 PM | 4:01 PM | 6h 49m |
Local time (America/Sitka), 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 | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.76 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show February as the clearest month (about 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 43 | 43 | 51 | 56 | 70 | 82 | 80 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 48 | 43 |
| Low °F | -16 | -8 | -9 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 42 | 42 | 33 | 9 | -10 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 12.1 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 9.6 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 11.6 |
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.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- 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 Tongass National Forest, closest first.
National Forest
Scenic Viewpoint
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ravens Roost Cabin4.9 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Breiland Slough Cabin15.8 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Petersburg Lake Cabin16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Castle Flats Cabin19.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- Beecher Pass Cabin19.5 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tongass National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Tongass National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tongass National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tongass National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tongass National Forest?
How far is Tongass National Forest from Petersburg?
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.