Black Creek Wilderness — a wilderness area in Perry County, Mississippi — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 16.9 km (10.5 mi) NE of Wiggins.
Black Creek Wilderness is a 5,052-acre (20 km2) wilderness area in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Located within the De Soto National Forest, Mississippi's largest wilderness lies in the broad valley of Black Creek, stained a deep caramel color by the tannic acid of decaying vegetation. The upland areas protect significant areas of longleaf pine forest, while the river creates bottomland hardwoods and shorelines with sand bars. It is therefore an important representation of typical coastal plain ecosystems that existed before forests were cleared and the rivers dammed. The Pascagoula River is nationally significant as one of the largest unimpeded rivers remaining in the lower 48 states. Rare species include the Pearl darter and the Yellow-blotched map turtle, both found only in this river and its tributaries. This wilderness area is surrounded by De Soto National Forest, which is...From the Wikipedia article “Black Creek Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Black Creek Wilderness 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 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 62° ENE | 8:03 PM | 298° WNW | 82° | 14h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 117° ESE | 4:59 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 08m |
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 | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 21m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 06m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 56m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 43m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 09m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 58m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 17m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 26m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:25 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 09m |
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 Black Creek Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:27 PM – 4:27 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 4:10 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:37 PM – 2:47 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:07 PM – 12:47 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:45 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:46 PM | 1.0 | 19° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.66 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 (60%). July 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 | 76 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 98 | 106 | 103 | 106 | 99 | 94 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 17 | 24 | 25 | 38 | 43 | 59 | 65 | 58 | 50 | 36 | 25 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 5.5 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 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 wilderness area
- 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.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Black Creek Wilderness, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Black Creek Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Black Creek Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Black Creek Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Black Creek Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Black Creek Wilderness?
How far is Black Creek Wilderness from Wiggins?
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.