Located in Grant Parish, Louisiana, Kisatchie National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) ENE of Colfax.
Kisatchie National Forest, the only National forest in Louisiana, United States, is located in the forested piney hills and hardwood bottoms of seven central and northern parishes. It is part of the Cenozoic uplands (some of Louisiana's oldest rocks) and has large areas of longleaf pine forests (a forest type that has declined significantly over the last century). It is one of the largest pieces of natural landscape in Louisiana, with some 604,000 acres (2,440 km2) of public land, more than half of which is vital longleaf pine and flatwoods vegetation. These support many rare plant and animal species. There are also rare habitats, such as hillside seepage bogs and calcareous prairies. The forest also contains and provides a buffer for the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, a nationally designated wilderness area that contributes to protecting biodiversity of the coastal plain region of the...From the Wikipedia article “Kisatchie National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kisatchie National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 62° ENE | 8:19 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 117° ESE | 5:11 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 05m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 19m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 11h 05m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 46m |
| June | 5:37 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 12m |
| July | 5:49 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 01m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 19m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 33m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 06m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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
From Kisatchie National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:39 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:50 AM – 5:50 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 4:34 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:57 PM – 4:17 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:54 PM – 2:54 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:23 PM – 12:53 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:50 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:50 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.77 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). August is the warmest month and January 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 | 78 | 81 | 85 | 94 | 100 | 107 | 107 | 109 | 105 | 100 | 90 | 81 |
| Low °F | 17 | 19 | 20 | 32 | 39 | 58 | 62 | 55 | 45 | 32 | 20 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.9 | 5.5 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 5.4 |
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 national forest
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kisatchie National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Kisatchie National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kisatchie National Forest?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Kisatchie National Forest?
How far is Kisatchie National Forest from Colfax?
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.