Beaver Falls — a waterfall in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska at about 377 m (1,237 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.0 km (5.6 mi) ENE of Ketchikan.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Beaver Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 44° (NE) at the June solstice and 133° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 316° (NW) in June to 227° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 58° in summer but only 11° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 35° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:05 AM | 44° NE | 9:33 PM | 316° NW | 58° | 17h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 272° W | 35° | 12h 14m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:13 AM | 133° SE | 3:17 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 7h 05m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 8:04 AM | 9:12 AM | 2:40 PM | 3:48 PM | 4:31 PM | 7h 43m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 41m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:03 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 09m |
| May | 3:49 AM | 4:37 AM | 5:33 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:38 PM | 16h 13m |
| June | 3:05 AM | 4:05 AM | 5:07 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:30 PM | 17h 26m |
| July | 3:32 AM | 4:26 AM | 5:25 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:19 PM | 10:13 PM | 16h 54m |
| August | 4:38 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:23 PM | 9:05 PM | 15h 02m |
| September | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:17 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 46m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 31m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:23 AM | 2:40 PM | 3:42 PM | 4:24 PM | 8h 22m |
| December | 7:22 AM | 8:08 AM | 9:24 AM | 2:00 PM | 3:16 PM | 4:02 PM | 7h 08m |
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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.5+ 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 71% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (82%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 45 | 43 | 58 | 68 | 74 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 75 | 66 | 51 | 46 |
| Low °F | -14 | -3 | -5 | 11 | 23 | 37 | 43 | 43 | 35 | 17 | -4 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 13.4 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 7.9 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 9.3 | 12.4 | 14.1 | 13.5 | 12.3 |
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
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Beaver Falls, closest first.
Lighthouse
Scenic ViewpointLighthouseLighthouse
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Signal Creek Campground11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- S'Igeidí Aas HíDi Cabin11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Last Chance Campground11.7 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Fish Creek Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Southeast Heckman Cabin22 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Beaver Falls?
What time is golden hour at Beaver Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Beaver Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Beaver Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Beaver Falls?
How far is Beaver Falls from Ketchikan?
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.