Natural Arch — a natural arch in Yakutat City and Borough, Alaska at about 1,142 m (3,747 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Natural Arch the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 34° (NNE) 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) | 7:32 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:00 AM | 34° NNE | 11:04 PM | 327° NNW | 53° | 19h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 88° E | 7:32 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 9:38 AM | 142° SE | 3:20 PM | 219° SW | 6° | 5h 42m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:28 AM | 9:22 AM | 11:01 AM | 2:18 PM | 3:58 PM | 4:52 PM | 6h 36m |
| February | 7:26 AM | 8:10 AM | 9:16 AM | 4:14 PM | 5:19 PM | 6:04 PM | 9h 09m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:44 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:14 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:24 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 38m |
| May | 3:42 AM | 4:49 AM | 5:57 AM | 8:57 PM | 10:05 PM | 11:12 PM | 17h 17m |
| June | 1:57 AM | 4:01 AM | 5:23 AM | 9:39 PM | 11:02 PM | 1:05 AM | 19h 01m |
| July | 3:06 AM | 4:30 AM | 5:45 AM | 9:28 PM | 10:43 PM | 12:07 AM | 18h 14m |
| August | 4:50 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:20 PM | 15h 45m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:37 PM | 12h 55m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 8:11 AM | 9:11 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:21 PM | 7:04 PM | 10h 10m |
| November | 7:42 AM | 8:32 AM | 9:54 AM | 2:36 PM | 3:59 PM | 4:49 PM | 7h 27m |
| December | 8:34 AM | 9:33 AM | 11:57 AM | 12:55 PM | 3:19 PM | 4:18 PM | 5h 46m |
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 ≈ 21.95 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 66% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 38 | 35 | 44 | 47 | 48 | 58 | 58 | 59 | 51 | 42 | 36 | 34 |
| Low °F | -22 | -21 | -25 | -6 | 9 | 23 | 29 | 27 | 15 | -10 | -13 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 11.5 | 10.1 | 8.0 | 6.1 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 6.7 | 11.0 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 13.0 | 13.6 |
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 natural arch
- Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
- Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Natural Arch, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Natural Arch?
What time is golden hour at Natural Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Natural Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Natural Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Natural Arch?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.