Brooks Falls is a waterfall in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska. It lies in or next to Katmai National Park & Preserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Kodiak, about 216 km (134 mi) away (Brooks Falls lies WNW of town). Its recorded drop is about 2 m (6 ft).
Brooks Falls is a waterfall located within Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Located on the Brooks River a mile and a half (2.4 km) from Brooks Lake and an equal distance from Naknek Lake, the falls are famous for watching salmon leap over the 6 foot (1.8 m) falls to get to their Brooks Lake spawning grounds. Consequently, large populations of brown bears are attracted to feed on the spawning salmon. Brown bears usually congregate at the falls in July through early September, and many well-known photos of bears have been taken there, particularly Thomas Mangelsen's Catch of the Day. July witnesses the greatest concentrations of bears of any month at the falls; up to 25 bears have been seen at one time at Brooks Falls in that month. In September, a smaller number of bears (maximum about 18 at one time) can be seen at the falls to feast on the later salmon runs.From the Wikipedia article “Brooks Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
Brooks Falls is perhaps the most recognized area in all of Katmai. The Falls bisects the 1.5 mile long Brooks River which connects Brooks Lake and Naknek Lake. The roughly six foot high waterfall creates a temporary obstacle for salmon migrating upstream, resulting in large concentrations of salmon and therefore bears that come for the relatively easy fishing. It’s a great place to watch bears fish, especially large, dominant males. During the peak season, it’s possible to see more than 25 bears at once from the platform.
The two-tiered Falls Platform is located next to Brooks Falls and, because of limited space, has a capacity of 40 people. When the platform is at maximum capacity, rangers maintain a waiting list and everyone on the platform is limited to one half hour at a time on the Falls Platform. This system helps to provide equal access during peak days of visitation. In addition, the use of expanded tripods and rail-mounted fixtures is prohibited on the Brooks Falls Platform from June 15 to August 15. The prohibition of tripods on the Brooks Falls Platfrom may be extended during busier times in late August and Spetember. Tripods may be used in a monopod configuration if the legs are fully collapsed to the center position and the unit is not self-supporting.
More people visit Brooks Camp in July than any other month. If you come at this time, expect crowded conditions especially at the Falls Platform. Wait times to access the Falls Platform commonly exceed 1.5 hours in July, especially midday. The Falls Platform, adjacent Treehouse area (which is covered, has limited seating and some interpretive displays but offers no direct views of the river), and the Riffles Platform are closed from 10pm to 7am June 15–August 15. The night time closure around the viewing platforms is often extended through September 30. Check in at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center for updates on closures.
From the Visitor Center, it is a 1.2 mile (1.9km) one way trip to the Brooks Falls and Riffles Platform. The nearest restroom is .6 miles away at the start of the Brooks Falls Trail.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Brooks Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 38° (NE) at the June solstice and 138° (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) | 8:25 AM | 89° E | 8:37 PM | 272° W | 31° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 38° NE | 11:36 PM | 322° NW | 55° | 18h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:09 AM | 88° E | 8:24 PM | 272° W | 32° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:13 AM | 138° SE | 4:31 PM | 223° SW | 8° | 6h 18m |
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 | 9:11 AM | 10:01 AM | 11:24 AM | 3:43 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:55 PM | 7h 05m |
| February | 8:15 AM | 8:57 AM | 9:57 AM | 5:19 PM | 6:20 PM | 7:01 PM | 9h 23m |
| March | 8:00 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:33 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:06 PM | 11h 46m |
| April | 6:27 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:42 PM | 9:37 PM | 10:20 PM | 14h 26m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:59 AM | 9:42 PM | 10:45 PM | 11:43 PM | 16h 49m |
| June | 3:55 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:28 AM | 10:21 PM | 11:34 PM | 12:54 AM | 18h 19m |
| July | 4:33 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:48 AM | 10:11 PM | 11:19 PM | 12:26 AM | 17h 39m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:42 AM | 9:15 PM | 10:12 PM | 11:00 PM | 15h 26m |
| September | 7:13 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:46 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:25 PM | 12h 51m |
| October | 8:20 AM | 9:00 AM | 9:57 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 10h 19m |
| November | 8:28 AM | 9:14 AM | 10:27 AM | 3:51 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:50 PM | 7h 50m |
| December | 9:15 AM | 10:09 AM | 11:48 AM | 2:51 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:23 PM | 6h 22m |
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 | — | -4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 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 2.0+ 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 65% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 38 | 38 | 39 | 53 | 65 | 76 | 82 | 79 | 67 | 54 | 45 | 38 |
| Low °F | -40 | -36 | -25 | -8 | 11 | 32 | 38 | 34 | 23 | -6 | -24 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.1 |
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
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- 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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Brooks Falls, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Brooks Falls?
What time is golden hour at Brooks Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Brooks Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Brooks Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Brooks Falls?
How far is Brooks Falls from Kodiak?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, OpenStreetMap contributors, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.