Alaska Chief Falls is a waterfall in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska at about 344 m (1,129 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 4.7 km (2.9 mi) E of Juneau.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alaska Chief Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 39° (NE) at the June solstice and 137° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 322° (NW) in June to 223° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 55° in summer but only 8° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 32° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:52 AM | 39° NE | 10:08 PM | 322° NW | 55° | 18h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 88° E | 6:59 PM | 272° W | 32° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:45 AM | 137° SE | 3:07 PM | 223° SW | 8° | 6h 22m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:44 AM | 8:33 AM | 9:55 AM | 2:20 PM | 3:42 PM | 4:30 PM | 7h 08m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 24m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:08 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 46m |
| April | 5:02 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 24m |
| May | 3:35 AM | 4:32 AM | 5:34 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:18 PM | 10:14 PM | 16h 46m |
| June | 2:34 AM | 3:52 AM | 5:04 AM | 8:54 PM | 10:06 PM | 11:23 PM | 18h 14m |
| July | 3:11 AM | 4:17 AM | 5:24 AM | 8:44 PM | 9:51 PM | 10:57 PM | 17h 35m |
| August | 4:33 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 25m |
| September | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 51m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 20m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:58 AM | 2:28 PM | 3:39 PM | 4:25 PM | 7h 53m |
| December | 7:48 AM | 8:41 AM | 10:17 AM | 1:30 PM | 3:06 PM | 3:59 PM | 6h 26m |
Local time (America/Juneau), 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 | — | -4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.89 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 May as the clearest month (about 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 41 | 36 | 45 | 48 | 60 | 71 | 73 | 73 | 67 | 55 | 44 | 38 |
| Low °F | -27 | -22 | -19 | -3 | 10 | 32 | 35 | 36 | 27 | 1 | -19 | -23 |
| Precip. (in) | 13.0 | 9.3 | 8.1 | 6.9 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 7.9 | 10.8 | 14.7 | 14.8 | 13.0 | 13.3 |
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 waterfall
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Alaska Chief Falls, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
WaterfallWaterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dan Moller Cabin8.3 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Mendenhall Campground17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin18.6 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
- Admiralty Cove Cabin19.3 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
- Young Lake (North) Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alaska Chief Falls?
What time is golden hour at Alaska Chief Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alaska Chief Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alaska Chief Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alaska Chief Falls?
How far is Alaska Chief Falls from Juneau?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.