When Is The Best Time To Visit Alaska?

One of our most frequently asked questions we get asked is, “When is the best time to visit Alaska?” often followed with another question like “What’s the best month for halibut fishing?” or “What’s the best month to see the northern lights?” Some people are even worried that they’ll book their trip at a bad time of year and they’ll miss out on something incredible. 

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The good news is that there really isn’t a bad time to visit Alaska! No matter when you visit, the state is home to some of the most stunning wildlife and natural beauty found anywhere on earth. Regardless of when you book your all-inclusive stay with us at Pybus Point Lodge, the vast majority of our activities will be offered–from halibut fishing to visiting the nearby waterfall, you can do it all anytime in our season!

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There are however certain times of year that might be best for you depending on what you’d like to get out of your vacation. Below we’ll tell you about some of the seasonal aspects of southeast Alaska like when the freshwater fishing begins, when the northern lights are the brightest, and when the bald eagles are the most active that you might want to consider when planning your trip. After reading this article you’ll have all the information you’ll need to book your perfect Alaskan fishing vacation.

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Weather

You might have heard that Alaska can have unpredictable weather that can change at a moment's notice. Alaskans' lifestyle is dictated by Mother Nature more than the rest of us do in the lower 48–and that’s true at Pybus too. Even at a luxury all inclusive resort the weather can have an impact on our day-to-day operations. But don’t stress, with over 30 years of operations, we’ve learned how to give our guests their dream Alaskan vacation, no matter the weather conditions!

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Admiralty Island is a part of the Tongass National Forest which means that we see quite a bit of rain and cloud coverage. That being said, the summer months offer travelers the best weather with high temperatures averaging in the high 50s to mid 60s, but it can get even warmer with temperatures as high as 80º! Additionally, rainfall begins to ease up in the late spring making May, June, and July the driest and sunniest months for a vacation. By August you’ll begin to notice the temperature dropping and the rainstorms picking up, though it’s not much different than the early summer months. Our guests who visit in August usually still get to enjoy time spent in the sun wearing nothing more than a t-shirt. 

Buying travel insurance is a great way to ease your mind and protect you and your investments from unexpected weather conditions. For your convenience, we offer travel protection through Travelex Insurance Services. If you'd like more information about the available plans contact Travelex Insurance Services at 800.228.9792, reference location number 44-0118. To request your own custom quote click here!

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September is really the only month in our season where sunny days can get few and far between. While this usually won’t impact anybody’s vacation, there is always a chance that the storm clouds will make our island inaccessible by seaplane, the main form of transportation to our lodge. Unlike other lodges, Pybus has a fleet of high quality fishing boats that can handle the sometimes rough waters with ease. This means that if there’s ever a situation where airplanes are grounded due to weather conditions, our guides will do everything they can to make the voyage to pick you up and get you to our island as quickly as possible. 

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If you do end up taking a boat ride from Juneau to the beautiful Pybus bay, there’s no need to feel like you missed out. You'll get to enjoy some of the best whale watching, wildlife, and site- seeing available in all of southeast Alaska! 

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Fishing

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Regardless of what time you choose to visit us during our season you’ll have a world class fishing experience, and you can count on catching a wide variety of species that are local to our area. When booking your vacation, all you need to consider is what specific types of fish you want to catch, and we’ll take care of the rest! 

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All of our Coast Guard certified captains have spent years fishing the calm waters surrounding Admiralty Island and love sharing their fish catching expertise with guests . To help you plan your vacation, please reference the nifty chart above to decide the perfect time of year to visit!

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Northern Lights

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The northern lights are a truly magical phenomenon. Anybody who has seen the sky ablaze with the fluorescent green light will surely tell you that it was an unforgettable experience. And lucky for you Pybus Point Lodge is in the perfect location for a dazzling light show–if you plan your vacation right. 

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Alaska is known as the land of the midnight sun, and that can be the biggest problem when it comes to viewing the northern lights as the lights are only visible when the sky is pitch black. If you stay at Pybus however, you won’t need to worry! The sun sets earlier in southeast Alaska than it does for our neighbors up north. While you might miss out on cocktails beneath the blazing midnight sun, you just might get a glimpse of the awe inspiring northern lights! 

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And when it comes to seeing a light show, the earlier the sun goes down the better. If your perfect Alaskan vacation includes getting to see the northern lights, we recommend booking your trip sometime between late August and early September–the time in our season with the earliest sunsets.

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To help you plan your trip to see the northern lights, check out this aurora borealis forecast from University of Alaska at Fairbanks and plan for the average sunset times below. Just keep in mind that seeing the aurora borealis is a special treat and a lot of different factors have to come together to form that magical glow. If things don’t work out with the aurora borealis, keep your head held high! The bioluminescent algae is typically in full bloom by late August and much more predictable than the northern lights. So if you can’t see the sky light up in green, you can usually still get to see the ocean ablaze with the sparkling bioluminescence. 

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Late May - Mid June

If you plan on visiting us sometime in May or June, you’ll get to experience Alaska during its driest and sunniest months. The springtime showers have usually dissipated and the island is starting to thaw and warm up. The snowy peaks begin to melt, the waterfalls begin to flow, and the wildlife starts to come alive! The humpback whales return after their long migration from Hawaii, the bald eagles begin making their nests, and the brown bears–along with their adorable newly born cubs–begin to roam the forest in search of food. If you’re an animal lover, or a lover of sunshine, this might be the ideal time for you to visit alaska!

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Just be aware that you might be in for some chilly weather and will need to plan on packing accordingly. We also don’t recommend booking your trip at this time if you’d like to go freshwater fishing as the salmon don’t usually begin their migration until later in the summer. That being said, this time of year is great for some of our other guided excursions!

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What We Recommend

Late May to mid June is the ideal time of year for guests interested in visiting the local Baranof Warm Springs! The springs are a beautiful natural oasis of warm water, accessible by either boat or seaplane. At this time of year, you can enjoy a relaxing dip in the springs while marveling at a raging glacial river that runs only a few feet away. 

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Pro-tip: In the early summer time there aren’t as many bugs out as there are later in the year making this the perfect time of year to leave your bug spray at home and hang out in your bathing suit!

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If you choose to fly out by seaplane, you’ll touch down on Baranof Lake, a picturesque glacial lake that’s perfect for anybody looking to take a polar plunge! After that it’s just a brief hike down a dirt trail that leads you to the springs. If you choose to travel in one of our luxury fishing boats, you can count on spending some time fishing for either halibut or rockfish near the springs. (If you go by boat you can still hike up to the lake!)

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Fish You Can Catch

This time of year is ideal for fishermen looking to mainly reel in halibut, rockfish, pacific cod, and ling cod!

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Average Temperature

Highs are generally between 58 and 65 degrees fahrenheit with lows between 42 and 48 degrees.

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Late June - Early August

The mid summer months are a beautiful time to visit southeastern Alaska. The weather is at its warmest, the days are the longest, and the rain isn’t nearly as abundant as it is later on. At this point in the year, the eagles are well established in their nests and can be seen swooping overhead all around Pybus Bay. There’s always plenty of nests built on or near lodge property making this time of year perfect for anybody hoping to snap a shot of a bald eagle in its natural habitat! 

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While out on the boat you're likely to spot humpback whales bubble net feeding, a process where one or more whales blow bubbles out of their blowhole to trap a school of fish. Once the fish are encircled, the whales swim up from beneath the school with their mouths open! 

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What We Recommend

Due to the warmer weather, late June, July, and early August are perfect for kayaking excursions and trips to the nearby Twin Sawyer Glaciers. This time of year provides the perfect conditions to watch the glaciers calve–or in other words to watch massive chunks of glacial ice crack off of the glacier and fall into the ocean! If you’re interested in kayaking, you can take a guided kayak tour with our excursion director around the back of Cannery Cove. Or if you’re more of a solo adventurer, you’re always free to check out a kayak and head out on your own. Since kayaks are so quiet, they’re perfect for watching brown bears walk along the coastline!

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Fish You Can Catch

This is the perfect time of year for those interested in bringing home plenty of halibut, rockfish, ling cod, and pink salmon! King, keta, and coho salmon are also caught at this time of year, though they’re not as plentiful as the pinks. (Salmon runs vary year to year and not every summer yields the same bounty.) If you enjoy salmon fishing, this time of year is perfect for you–especially if you’re also a fan of having plenty of wild pink salmon meat ready to smoke up!

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Average Temperatures

Highs are typically around 65 degrees fahrenheit (though it can get well into the 70s) with lows being around 48 degrees.

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Mid August - Mid September

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Late summer is one of the most popular times to book a trip to Alaska for those looking to escape the heat of the lower 48. The air is cool, the scenery is as gorgeous as ever, and the Silver Coho Salmon begin to roll in! Brown bears are also quite active in the rivers during these months looking to catch as much salmon as possible before winter. Plus the bears are at their fattest! Brown bears can double their weight throughout the summer and fall in order to survive the winter. If you’re hoping to snap a photo of a huge brown bear during your bucket list vacation in Alaska, this is certainly the time to book!

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This is also when the weather is at its most unpredictable. The dry and sunny days become fewer and the storm clouds can hang lower. This doesn’t mean that every day will be a rainstorm, but it does mean that your chances of getting a nice tan while reeling in a halibut will go down. But if it does rain, there’s no need to stress out. Your vacation at Pybus is all inclusive, high quality rain gear will always be provided. 

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What We Recommend

This is the perfect time of year for our guided ½ day freshwater fishing experience! When out with your guide, you’ll hike through the rugged brown bear territory to fish a variety of pools for Silver and Pink salmon and the elusive Dolly Varden Trout. Freshwater trips are always done with small groups to ensure that each and every fisherman has full access to the guide throughout the entire excursion. Whether you’re a first time fly fisherman or a seasoned veteran, you’ll enjoy the up close and personal look at the Tongass National Forest and the fish that live in its rivers. Just keep in mind that freshwater fishing isn’t something you’d want to plan your whole vacation at Pybus Point Lodge around. For us, freshwater fishing is just one of the many exciting ways to experience Alaska!

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Fish You Can Catch 

Don’t let the clouds rain on your parade, the halibut, rockfish, ling cod, and pacific cod bite is as strong as ever plus the silver salmon start to come on strong. There may even be some Pink Salmon left to catch! Just keep in mind that salmon runs can vary year to year and that the coho run is one of the most unpredictable. 

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Average Temperatures

Highs are typically between 64 and 56 degrees fahrenheit with lows averaging between 51 and 46 degrees. 

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Book Your All-Inclusive Vacation Today!

As you can see, no matter what time of year you book your stay with us you won’t be disappointed. Alaska always offers stunning views, incredible wildlife, and excellent fishing–no matter the weather.

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If you’d like to learn more about the different excursions and activities we offer, we’ve got your covered!

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If you have any questions or want to book your own all-inclusive Alaska vacation, click here or give us a call at 435-412-4268!