Located in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska, Kootznoowoo Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 74 km (46 mi) S of Juneau.
The temperate rainforests of Admiralty Island's Kootznoowoo Wilderness are a unique environment among the 5,700,000 acres (2,300,000 ha) of federally-protected wilderness in Southeast Alaska. The island's lush, towering cathedrals of old-growth Sitka spruce and western hemlock, rising out of a blanket of ferns on the forest floor, could not be more different from the glaciers and frozen alpine tundra found elsewhere in the state or other close-by areas (such as Tracy Arm or Misty Fjords National Monument). These ancient forests are home to one of the highest concentrations of brown bear in the world, as well as black bear, thousands of bald eagles, harbor seal, moose, red fox, Sitka black-tailed deer, and a unique subspecies of coastal gray wolf. The rough-skinned newt and boreal toad—two of the only herpetiles adapted to life in Alaska—and all five species of Alaskan salmon are also...From the Wikipedia article “Kootznoowoo Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kootznoowoo Wilderness 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 | 10:02 PM | 320° NW | 56° | 18h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 88° E | 6:59 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:40 AM | 136° SE | 3:13 PM | 224° SW | 9° | 6h 33m |
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 | 7:42 AM | 8:29 AM | 9:47 AM | 2:28 PM | 3:46 PM | 4:33 PM | 7h 17m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:27 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 28m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:09 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:05 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 20m |
| May | 3:41 AM | 4:36 AM | 5:36 AM | 8:13 PM | 9:14 PM | 10:08 PM | 16h 38m |
| June | 2:46 AM | 3:58 AM | 5:07 AM | 8:50 PM | 10:00 PM | 11:12 PM | 18h 02m |
| July | 3:19 AM | 4:22 AM | 5:27 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:46 PM | 10:49 PM | 17h 25m |
| August | 4:37 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:29 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 | 7:33 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:00 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 00m |
| December | 7:45 AM | 8:35 AM | 10:06 AM | 1:41 PM | 3:11 PM | 4:02 PM | 6h 36m |
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 | — | -2° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 wilderness area
- 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.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Kootznoowoo Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
LighthouseLighthouse
Scenic ViewpointLighthouseLighthouseLighthouseLighthouseLighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hasselborg Creek Cabin6.4 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
- Jims Lake Cabin7.7 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Little Shaheen Cabin8.3 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Big Shaheen Cabin8.4 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Lake Alexander Cabin10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kootznoowoo Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Kootznoowoo Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kootznoowoo Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kootznoowoo Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kootznoowoo Wilderness?
How far is Kootznoowoo Wilderness from Juneau?
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.