Located in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, Tonsina River Overlook is a scenic viewpoint. The nearest town is Palmer, about 226 km (140 mi) away (Tonsina River Overlook lies E of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tonsina River Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 30° (NNE) at the June solstice and 144° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 330° (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) | 7:41 AM | 89° E | 7:54 PM | 272° W | 28° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:54 AM | 30° NNE | 11:30 PM | 330° NNW | 52° | 19h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 88° E | 7:42 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:00 AM | 144° SE | 3:17 PM | 216° SW | 5° | 5h 16m |
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 | 8:44 AM | 9:42 AM | 11:38 AM | 2:01 PM | 3:57 PM | 4:55 PM | 6h 16m |
| February | 7:38 AM | 8:25 AM | 9:34 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:24 PM | 6:11 PM | 9h 00m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:56 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:25 PM | 11h 44m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:03 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:52 PM | 14h 46m |
| May | 3:35 AM | 4:49 AM | 6:01 AM | 9:12 PM | 10:24 PM | 11:38 PM | 17h 36m |
| June | — | 3:55 AM | 5:25 AM | 9:57 PM | 11:27 PM | — | 19h 31m |
| July | 2:45 AM | 4:27 AM | 5:48 AM | 9:44 PM | 11:05 PM | 12:47 AM | 18h 38m |
| August | 4:51 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:43 PM | 10:39 PM | 15h 56m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:07 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:49 PM | 12h 58m |
| October | 7:39 AM | 8:24 AM | 9:27 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:28 PM | 7:13 PM | 10h 04m |
| November | 7:57 AM | 8:50 AM | 10:20 AM | 2:30 PM | 4:00 PM | 4:53 PM | 7h 11m |
| December | 8:51 AM | 9:55 AM | — | — | 3:16 PM | 4:20 PM | 5h 21m |
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 | — | -12° | — |
| 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: 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 March as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and October as the cloudiest (79%). 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 | 35 | 35 | 45 | 62 | 65 | 75 | 74 | 76 | 63 | 53 | 38 | 34 |
| Low °F | -35 | -31 | -31 | -16 | 14 | 24 | 28 | 23 | 18 | -10 | -26 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
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
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Tonsina River Overlook, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tonsina River Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Tonsina River Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tonsina River Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tonsina River Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tonsina River Overlook?
How far is Tonsina River Overlook from Palmer?
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.