Mystery Falls is a waterfall in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska. It sits roughly 15.7 km (9.8 mi) N of Girdwood.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mystery Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 32° (NNE) at the June solstice and 143° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 328° (NNW) in June to 217° (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) | 7:58 AM | 89° E | 8:11 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:20 AM | 32° NNE | 11:38 PM | 328° NNW | 52° | 19h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:41 AM | 88° E | 7:58 PM | 272° W | 29° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:10 AM | 143° SE | 3:40 PM | 217° SW | 5° | 5h 30m |
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 | 8:58 AM | 9:53 AM | 11:40 AM | 2:33 PM | 4:20 PM | 5:15 PM | 6h 26m |
| February | 7:54 AM | 8:39 AM | 9:46 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:29 PM | 9h 05m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:11 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:41 PM | 11h 44m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:18 PM | 10:06 PM | 14h 42m |
| May | 4:01 AM | 5:11 AM | 6:21 AM | 9:26 PM | 10:37 PM | 11:46 PM | 17h 26m |
| June | — | 4:20 AM | 5:46 AM | 10:10 PM | 11:35 PM | — | 19h 15m |
| July | 3:20 AM | 4:50 AM | 6:08 AM | 9:58 PM | 11:16 PM | 12:46 AM | 18h 25m |
| August | 5:13 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:09 AM | 8:54 PM | 9:57 PM | 10:51 PM | 15h 50m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:21 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:21 PM | 9:05 PM | 12h 56m |
| October | 7:56 AM | 8:39 AM | 9:41 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:30 PM | 10h 07m |
| November | 8:11 AM | 9:03 AM | 10:29 AM | 2:55 PM | 4:21 PM | 5:13 PM | 7h 19m |
| December | 9:04 AM | 10:06 AM | — | — | 3:40 PM | 4:41 PM | 5h 34m |
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 | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.68 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 63% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 40 | 40 | 52 | 62 | 70 | 81 | 83 | 80 | 67 | 56 | 43 | 39 |
| Low °F | -25 | -20 | -21 | -1 | 15 | 33 | 39 | 35 | 19 | -1 | -18 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
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
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- 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 Mystery Falls, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mystery Falls?
What time is golden hour at Mystery Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mystery Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mystery Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mystery Falls?
How far is Mystery Falls from Girdwood?
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.