Located in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska, Chugach State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Anchorage, about 19.3 km (12.0 mi) away (Chugach State Park lies SSE of town).
Chugach State Park covers 495,204 acres (2,004 square kilometers) covering a hilly region immediately east of Anchorage, in south-central Alaska. Established by legislation signed into law on August 6, 1970, by Alaska governor Keith Miller, this state park was created to provide recreational opportunities, protect the scenic value of the Chugach Mountains and other geographic features, and ensure the safety of the water supply for Anchorage. The park, managed by Alaska State Parks, is the third-largest state park in the United States, and consists of geographically disparate areas each with different attractions and facilities. Only Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California and Wood-Tikchik State Park in western Alaska are larger. Though primarily in the Municipality of Anchorage, a small portion of the park north of the Eklutna Lake area in the vicinity of Pioneer Peak lies...From the Wikipedia article “Chugach State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chugach State Park 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 328° (NNW) in June to 218° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 52° in summer but only 6° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:01 AM | 89° E | 8:14 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:23 AM | 32° NNE | 11:41 PM | 328° NNW | 52° | 19h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:44 AM | 88° E | 8:01 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:13 AM | 143° SE | 3:43 PM | 218° SW | 6° | 5h 31m |
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 | 9:00 AM | 9:56 AM | 11:42 AM | 2:37 PM | 4:23 PM | 5:18 PM | 6h 27m |
| February | 7:56 AM | 8:42 AM | 9:49 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:32 PM | 9h 05m |
| March | 7:34 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:14 AM | 7:04 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:44 PM | 11h 44m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:20 PM | 10:09 PM | 14h 41m |
| May | 4:04 AM | 5:14 AM | 6:24 AM | 9:29 PM | 10:39 PM | 11:49 PM | 17h 25m |
| June | — | 4:23 AM | 5:49 AM | 10:12 PM | 11:38 PM | — | 19h 14m |
| July | 3:23 AM | 4:54 AM | 6:11 AM | 10:00 PM | 11:18 PM | 12:48 AM | 18h 24m |
| August | 5:16 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:57 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:54 PM | 15h 50m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:23 PM | 9:07 PM | 12h 56m |
| October | 7:58 AM | 8:42 AM | 9:43 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:33 PM | 10h 07m |
| November | 8:14 AM | 9:05 AM | 10:31 AM | 2:59 PM | 4:24 PM | 5:16 PM | 7h 19m |
| December | 9:07 AM | 10:08 AM | — | — | 3:43 PM | 4:44 PM | 5h 35m |
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 | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.84 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 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 state park
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Chugach State Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered Bridge
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chugach State Park?
What time is golden hour at Chugach State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chugach State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chugach State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chugach State Park?
How far is Chugach State Park from Anchorage?
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.