Located in Haines Borough, Alaska, Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is a state park. It sits roughly 29 km (18 mi) NW of Haines.
The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is a state park and wildlife refuge in the U.S. state of Alaska near Haines. Established in 1982, the park covers 49,320 acres (199.6 km2), mainly along the Chilkat River, with sections along the Klehini and Tsirku rivers. The preserve is home to the world's largest concentration of bald eagles. 200 to 400 birds live there year-round, with up to 4,000 observed during the annual Fall Congregation. The Haines Highway from miles 12–18 (km 19–29) is a popular viewing location.From the Wikipedia article “Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 37° (NE) at the June solstice and 139° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 324° (NW) in June to 221° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 54° in summer but only 7° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 272° W | 31° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:47 AM | 37° NE | 10:25 PM | 324° NW | 54° | 18h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 88° E | 7:05 PM | 272° W | 31° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 9:01 AM | 139° SE | 3:04 PM | 221° SW | 7° | 6h 04m |
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 | 7:56 AM | 8:47 AM | 10:16 AM | 2:11 PM | 3:40 PM | 4:31 PM | 6h 53m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 17m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:12 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:04 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:19 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 30m |
| May | 3:30 AM | 4:31 AM | 5:36 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:31 PM | 10:32 PM | 17h 00m |
| June | 2:16 AM | 3:47 AM | 5:04 AM | 9:06 PM | 10:22 PM | 11:53 PM | 18h 35m |
| July | 3:01 AM | 4:14 AM | 5:24 AM | 8:56 PM | 10:06 PM | 11:19 PM | 17h 53m |
| August | 4:32 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 34m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:26 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 53m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:40 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 15m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:59 AM | 9:15 AM | 2:23 PM | 3:39 PM | 4:27 PM | 7h 40m |
| December | 8:00 AM | 8:56 AM | 10:47 AM | 1:12 PM | 3:03 PM | 3:59 PM | 6h 07m |
Local time (America/Juneau), 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 | — | -5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| 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 February as the clearest month (about 68% average cloud cover) and September as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 38 | 32 | 39 | 42 | 56 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 59 | 47 | 36 | 34 |
| Low °F | -42 | -40 | -32 | -15 | 5 | 23 | 31 | 29 | 16 | -11 | -35 | -40 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 5.7 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Lighthouse
Ghost Town
Glacier
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve?
What time is golden hour at Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve?
How far is Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve from Haines?
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.