Tern Lake — a scenic viewpoint in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Bear Creek, about 42 km (26 mi) away (Tern Lake lies NNW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tern Lake 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. OpenStreetMap records this view as facing ESE (121°), which lines up with winter sunrises.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:00 AM | 89° E | 8:13 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:28 AM | 34° NNE | 11:33 PM | 327° NNW | 53° | 19h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:43 AM | 88° E | 8:00 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:06 AM | 142° SE | 3:48 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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:56 AM | 9:50 AM | 11:30 AM | 2:46 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:20 PM | 6h 36m |
| February | 7:54 AM | 8:39 AM | 9:44 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:32 PM | 9h 09m |
| March | 7:33 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:12 AM | 7:04 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:18 PM | 10:05 PM | 14h 38m |
| May | 4:10 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:26 AM | 9:25 PM | 10:34 PM | 11:40 PM | 17h 17m |
| June | 2:24 AM | 4:29 AM | 5:51 AM | 10:08 PM | 11:30 PM | 1:35 AM | 19h 01m |
| July | 3:34 AM | 4:58 AM | 6:13 AM | 9:56 PM | 11:12 PM | 12:35 AM | 18h 14m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:55 PM | 9:56 PM | 10:49 PM | 15h 45m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:22 PM | 9:05 PM | 12h 55m |
| October | 7:57 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:40 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:32 PM | 10h 10m |
| November | 8:11 AM | 9:01 AM | 10:23 AM | 3:04 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:17 PM | 7h 26m |
| December | 9:02 AM | 10:02 AM | 12:27 PM | 1:22 PM | 3:47 PM | 4:46 PM | 5h 45m |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.88 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 69% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 34 | 34 | 37 | 46 | 59 | 76 | 77 | 75 | 62 | 49 | 41 | 36 |
| Low °F | -22 | -18 | -24 | -3 | 13 | 30 | 35 | 32 | 23 | -2 | -15 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.1 | 5.9 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 6.7 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 7.3 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Tern Lake, closest first.
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Waterfall
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Crescent Lake Cabin6.5 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Saddle Cabin10.1 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Quartz Creek Campground11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Tenderfoot Creek11.7 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Devils Pass Cabin14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tern Lake?
What time is golden hour at Tern Lake?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tern Lake?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tern Lake?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tern Lake?
How far is Tern Lake from Bear Creek?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.