Rainbow Falls — a waterfall in City and Borough of Wrangell, Alaska at about 184 m (604 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Wrangell, about 6.0 km (3.7 mi) away (Rainbow Falls lies SSE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rainbow Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 42° (NE) at the June solstice and 134° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 318° (NW) in June to 226° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 57° in summer but only 10° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:00 AM | 42° NE | 9:44 PM | 318° NW | 57° | 17h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 88° E | 6:50 PM | 272° W | 34° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:23 AM | 134° SE | 3:14 PM | 226° SW | 10° | 6h 51m |
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 | 7:28 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:26 AM | 2:33 PM | 3:45 PM | 4:31 PM | 7h 32m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:13 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 36m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:02 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 14m |
| May | 3:44 AM | 4:35 AM | 5:33 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:49 PM | 16h 24m |
| June | 2:56 AM | 4:00 AM | 5:05 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:41 PM | 10:46 PM | 17h 41m |
| July | 3:25 AM | 4:22 AM | 5:24 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:27 PM | 17h 07m |
| August | 4:36 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 10m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:20 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 48m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 27m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:34 AM | 2:36 PM | 3:41 PM | 4:24 PM | 8h 12m |
| December | 7:30 AM | 8:19 AM | 9:40 AM | 1:51 PM | 3:12 PM | 4:00 PM | 6h 54m |
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 | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 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 1.0+ 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 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). July 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 | 43 | 43 | 51 | 56 | 70 | 82 | 80 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 48 | 43 |
| Low °F | -16 | -8 | -9 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 42 | 42 | 33 | 9 | -10 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 12.1 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 9.6 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 11.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Rainbow Falls, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Middle Ridge Cabin11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Virginia Lake Cabin13.6 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Garnet Ledge Cabin17.4 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
- Deep Bay Cabin19.4 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
- Koknuk Cabin19.6 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rainbow Falls?
What time is golden hour at Rainbow Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rainbow Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rainbow Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rainbow Falls?
How far is Rainbow Falls from Wrangell?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors, 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.