The Falls — a waterfall in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Sitka, about 81 km (50 mi) away (The Falls lies NE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 40° (NE) at the June solstice and 136° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 320° (NW) in June to 224° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 56° in summer but only 9° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 32° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:58 AM | 40° NE | 10:01 PM | 320° NW | 56° | 18h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 88° E | 6:59 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:39 AM | 136° SE | 3:13 PM | 224° SW | 9° | 6h 34m |
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 | 7:41 AM | 8:29 AM | 9:46 AM | 2:29 PM | 3:46 PM | 4:34 PM | 7h 18m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 29m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:09 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:06 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 20m |
| May | 3:42 AM | 4:36 AM | 5:37 AM | 8:13 PM | 9:13 PM | 10:07 PM | 16h 37m |
| June | 2:47 AM | 3:59 AM | 5:08 AM | 8:50 PM | 9:59 PM | 11:10 PM | 18h 00m |
| July | 3:20 AM | 4:22 AM | 5:27 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:46 PM | 10:48 PM | 17h 23m |
| August | 4:37 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 19m |
| September | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 50m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 23m |
| November | 6:58 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:52 AM | 2:34 PM | 3:43 PM | 4:28 PM | 8h 01m |
| December | 7:44 AM | 8:35 AM | 10:04 AM | 1:42 PM | 3:12 PM | 4:03 PM | 6h 37m |
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 | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.94 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 (84%). 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 | 48 | 45 | 60 | 68 | 73 | 83 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 60 | 51 | 48 |
| Low °F | -3 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 28 | 38 | 43 | 44 | 37 | 21 | 2 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.0 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 10.7 | 10.3 | 9.3 | 9.2 |
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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 The Falls, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jims Lake Cabin5.5 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Hasselborg Creek Cabin13.1 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Lake Alexander Cabin16.0 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Little Shaheen Cabin16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Big Shaheen Cabin16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph The Falls?
What time is golden hour at The Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at The Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from The Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Falls?
How far is The Falls from Sitka?
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.