Located in Sitka City and Borough, Alaska, Old Sitka is a state park. The nearest town is Sitka, about 9.0 km (5.6 mi) away (Old Sitka lies NNW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Redoubt St. Archangel Michael Site, also known as the Old Sitka Site and now in Old Sitka State Historical Park, is a National Historic Landmark near Sitka, Alaska. Now of archaeological interest, the site, about 7 miles (11 km) north of Sitka at the end of Halibut Point Road, was the site of the early Russian-American Company settlement known as Redoubt St. Archangel Michael (Russian: форт Архангела Михаила, romanized: Fort Arkhangela Mikhaila). It was the first non-Native settlement on Baranof Island. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1962, and was made a state park in 1966.From the Wikipedia article “Old Sitka Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Old Sitka the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 41° (NE) at the June solstice and 136° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 319° (NW) in June to 225° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 56° in summer but only 9° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 33° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:06 AM | 41° NE | 10:02 PM | 319° NW | 56° | 17h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 88° E | 7:03 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:40 AM | 136° SE | 3:21 PM | 225° SW | 9° | 6h 41m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:30 AM | 9:45 AM | 2:38 PM | 3:53 PM | 4:40 PM | 7h 23m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:05 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 31m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:14 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:11 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 18m |
| May | 3:50 AM | 4:43 AM | 5:42 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:15 PM | 10:08 PM | 16h 32m |
| June | 2:58 AM | 4:06 AM | 5:14 AM | 8:52 PM | 9:59 PM | 11:08 PM | 17h 53m |
| July | 3:29 AM | 4:29 AM | 5:33 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:47 PM | 10:47 PM | 17h 17m |
| August | 4:44 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 15m |
| September | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:22 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 49m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:29 AM | 5:06 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 25m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:52 AM | 2:42 PM | 3:49 PM | 4:33 PM | 8h 05m |
| December | 7:46 AM | 8:36 AM | 10:02 AM | 1:53 PM | 3:19 PM | 4:09 PM | 6h 44m |
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 | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.62 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 (84%). August 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 | 50 | 46 | 62 | 68 | 73 | 83 | 81 | 80 | 72 | 60 | 51 | 48 |
| Low °F | -5 | -1 | -3 | 16 | 27 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 34 | 20 | -1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.3 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 7.5 | 10.4 | 10.8 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Old Sitka, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lake
Waterfall
State Park
Mountain Peak
LighthouseLighthouseWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Starrigavan Campground And Day Use318 m · reservable
- Starrigavan Creek Cabin544 m · reservable
- Brents Beach Cabin11.8 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Allan Point Cabin12.5 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Freds Creek Cabin16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Old Sitka?
What time is golden hour at Old Sitka?
Where does the sun rise and set at Old Sitka?
Can you see the Milky Way from Old Sitka?
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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.