Forrester Island Wilderness — a wilderness area in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 134 km (83 mi) WSW of Ketchikan.
Forrester Island (Haida: Gasḵúu) is an island in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located off the coast of the Alaska Panhandle, near its southernmost portion, 20 miles (32 km) west of Dall Island, in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area. The island is 5.2 miles (8.4 km) long and covers an area of 3.97 sq mi (10.29 km2). It is wooded and mountainous, rising 814 feet (248 m) in elevation. In 1970, the area was designated the Forrester Island Wilderness, with 2,832 acres (1,146 ha) in the National Wilderness Preservation System. It is part of the Gulf of Alaska unit of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.From the Wikipedia article “Forrester Island (Alaska)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Forrester Island Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 45° (NE) at the June solstice and 132° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 315° (NW) in June to 228° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 59° in summer but only 12° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 35° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:17 AM | 45° NE | 9:36 PM | 315° NW | 59° | 17h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 272° W | 35° | 12h 14m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:17 AM | 132° SE | 3:29 PM | 228° SW | 12° | 7h 12m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 9:15 AM | 2:53 PM | 3:59 PM | 4:42 PM | 7h 50m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:08 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 45m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:13 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 06m |
| May | 4:01 AM | 4:48 AM | 5:43 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:42 PM | 16h 07m |
| June | 3:20 AM | 4:17 AM | 5:18 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:34 PM | 10:31 PM | 17h 17m |
| July | 3:45 AM | 4:37 AM | 5:35 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:24 PM | 10:16 PM | 16h 47m |
| August | 4:49 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 58m |
| September | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 45m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 33m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:27 AM | 2:52 PM | 3:53 PM | 4:34 PM | 8h 27m |
| December | 7:28 AM | 8:13 AM | 9:25 AM | 2:15 PM | 3:28 PM | 4:13 PM | 7h 15m |
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 | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| 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 September as the clearest month (about 80% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (90%). August is the warmest month and March 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 | 52 | 50 | 51 | 53 | 56 | 62 | 61 | 64 | 61 | 59 | 55 | 53 |
| Low °F | 18 | 23 | 22 | 36 | 40 | 44 | 49 | 52 | 47 | 39 | 25 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.4 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 6.3 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 7.8 |
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 wilderness area
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Forrester Island Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Forrester Island Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Forrester Island Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Forrester Island Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Forrester Island Wilderness?
How far is Forrester Island Wilderness from Ketchikan?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.