Sockeye Falls — a waterfall in Petersburg Borough, Alaska at about 68 m (223 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Craig, about 50 km (31 mi) away (Sockeye Falls lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sockeye Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 43° (NE) at the June solstice and 134° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 317° (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) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:07 AM | 43° NE | 9:43 PM | 317° NW | 58° | 17h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 88° E | 6:53 PM | 272° W | 34° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:22 AM | 134° SE | 3:20 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 6h 58m |
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 | 7:29 AM | 8:13 AM | 9:23 AM | 2:41 PM | 3:51 PM | 4:35 PM | 7h 37m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 39m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:07 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 11m |
| May | 3:50 AM | 4:40 AM | 5:37 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:48 PM | 16h 18m |
| June | 3:05 AM | 4:07 AM | 5:10 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:40 PM | 10:42 PM | 17h 34m |
| July | 3:33 AM | 4:28 AM | 5:29 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:24 PM | 17h 01m |
| August | 4:41 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 06m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 47m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 29m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:33 AM | 2:42 PM | 3:46 PM | 4:28 PM | 8h 17m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:36 AM | 2:00 PM | 3:18 PM | 4:05 PM | 7h 01m |
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
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 | — | 1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 1.5+ 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 73% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 51 | 50 | 62 | 69 | 74 | 87 | 80 | 83 | 75 | 66 | 53 | 49 |
| Low °F | -4 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 27 | 37 | 43 | 44 | 36 | 18 | -2 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 11.0 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 10.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Sockeye Falls, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sweet Water Lake Cabin5.5 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Barnes Lake Cabin10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Honker Lake Cabin11.7 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Sarkar Lake Cabin13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Staney Creek Cabin14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sockeye Falls?
What time is golden hour at Sockeye Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sockeye Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sockeye Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sockeye Falls?
How far is Sockeye Falls from Craig?
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.