Located in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, Independence Mines is a state park. The nearest town is Fishhook, about 5.7 km (3.5 mi) away (Independence Mines lies NNW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Independence Mines, now Independence Mine State Historical Park, is the site of a former gold mining operation in the Talkeetna Mountains, across Hatcher Pass from Palmer, Alaska. The area's mining history dates to at least 1897, when active claims were reported in the vicinity of Fishook Creek. These early mining efforts were eventually joined to form the Wasilla Mining Company, which worked the mines from 1934 to 1943, and again from 1948 to 1950. The mining operation at Independence was the second-largest hard-rock gold mining operation in the state, after a larger site near Juneau. The company and the miners that preceded it built a substantial mining camp, with as many as sixteen wood-frame buildings, which were originally connected to each other by sheltered wooden "tunnels". When the company ended operations in 1950 it had expected to eventually resume them, but never did....From the Wikipedia article “Independence Mines, Alaska”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Independence Mines the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 30° (NNE) at the June solstice and 145° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 331° (NNW) in June to 216° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 52° in summer but only 5° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:59 AM | 89° E | 8:12 PM | 272° W | 28° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:10 AM | 30° NNE | 11:49 PM | 331° NNW | 52° | 19h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:42 AM | 88° E | 7:59 PM | 272° W | 28° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:19 AM | 145° SE | 3:33 PM | 216° SW | 5° | 5h 14m |
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 | 9:02 AM | 10:00 AM | 11:58 AM | 2:16 PM | 4:14 PM | 5:12 PM | 6h 14m |
| February | 7:56 AM | 8:43 AM | 9:52 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:28 PM | 8h 59m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:14 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:43 PM | 11h 44m |
| April | 5:45 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:21 PM | 10:11 PM | 14h 46m |
| May | 3:51 AM | 5:06 AM | 6:19 AM | 9:30 PM | 10:43 PM | 11:58 PM | 17h 38m |
| June | — | 4:11 AM | 5:41 AM | 10:15 PM | 11:46 PM | — | 19h 35m |
| July | 2:59 AM | 4:43 AM | 6:05 AM | 10:03 PM | 11:24 PM | 1:09 AM | 18h 41m |
| August | 5:07 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:57 PM | 10:01 PM | 10:58 PM | 15h 58m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:22 PM | 9:07 PM | 12h 58m |
| October | 7:57 AM | 8:42 AM | 9:45 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:30 PM | 10h 04m |
| November | 8:15 AM | 9:08 AM | 10:39 AM | 2:46 PM | 4:17 PM | 5:10 PM | 7h 09m |
| December | 9:10 AM | 10:14 AM | — | — | 3:32 PM | 4:37 PM | 5h 18m |
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 | — | -7° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -13° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.27 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 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
- 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 Independence Mines, closest first.
Mountain Pass
WaterfallWaterfall
Lake
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Independence Mines?
What time is golden hour at Independence Mines?
Where does the sun rise and set at Independence Mines?
Can you see the Milky Way from Independence Mines?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Independence Mines?
How far is Independence Mines from Fishhook?
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.