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34.9228° N77.1475° WBortle 3New York

Catfish Lake South Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Jones County, North Carolina

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: April
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Jones County, North Carolina, Catfish Lake South Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 7.9 km (4.9 mi) ENE of Maysville.

Catfish Lake South Wilderness was designated in 1984, and it covers 8,491 acres (34 km2) in the Croatan National Forest in eastern North Carolina. The Wilderness Area is a vast wetland, and it lacks trails and campsites. Travel through this wilderness is difficult.From the Wikipedia article “Catfish Lake South Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Maysville
7.9 km (4.9 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
April
53% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:01 PM
sunset 6:35 PM

Light at Catfish Lake South Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
7:19 AM
Sunset
6:29 PM
Golden hour AM
7:03 AM – 7:54 AM
Golden hour PM
5:54 PM – 6:45 PM
Blue hour AM
6:54 AM – 7:03 AM
Blue hour PM
6:45 PM – 6:54 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:56 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:28 PM / 1:33 AM
Day length
11h 10m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Catfish Lake South Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:13 AM90° E7:21 PM271° W55°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:56 AM60° ENE8:26 PM300° WNW79°14h 30m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:57 AM89° E7:07 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:13 AM119° ESE5:02 PM242° WSW32°9h 48m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:49 AM7:17 AM7:54 AM4:43 PM5:21 PM5:48 PM10h 04m
February6:30 AM6:56 AM7:30 AM5:17 PM5:52 PM6:18 PM10h 56m
March6:55 AM7:20 AM7:54 AM6:43 PM7:17 PM7:42 PM11h 56m
April6:11 AM6:37 AM7:11 AM7:07 PM7:41 PM8:07 PM13h 04m
May5:38 AM6:06 AM6:42 AM7:30 PM8:06 PM8:34 PM13h 59m
June5:26 AM5:55 AM6:33 AM7:47 PM8:25 PM8:54 PM14h 29m
July5:38 AM6:07 AM6:43 AM7:47 PM8:24 PM8:53 PM14h 17m
August6:03 AM6:30 AM7:04 AM7:24 PM7:58 PM8:25 PM13h 29m
September6:27 AM6:52 AM7:26 AM6:44 PM7:17 PM7:43 PM12h 25m
October6:49 AM7:15 AM7:49 AM6:01 PM6:35 PM7:01 PM11h 20m
November6:17 AM6:44 AM7:20 AM4:28 PM5:04 PM5:31 PM10h 21m
December6:42 AM7:10 AM7:49 AM4:20 PM4:59 PM5:27 PM9h 49m

Local time (America/New York), 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 Catfish Lake South Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February4:47 AM – 5:27 AM0.715°SE → SE
March4:01 AM – 5:51 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April2:01 AM – 5:01 AM3.026°SE → S
May12:05 AM – 4:25 AM4.326°SE → SSW
June10:12 PM – 4:02 AM5.826°SE → SW
July10:07 PM – 2:37 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August9:32 PM – 12:42 AM3.226°S → SW
September8:43 PM – 10:33 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October8:00 PM – 8:40 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.39 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F737378879294979592908075
Low °F171726374760676456423021
Precip. (in)3.03.93.73.64.45.46.07.17.44.43.94.1

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 Catfish Lake South Wilderness, closest first.

Wilderness Area
Sheep Ridge Wilderness9.9 km away · Craven County
Wilderness Area
Pond Pine Wilderness13 km away · Craven County
Wilderness Area
Pocosin Wilderness19 km away · Craven County
Beach
Kennel Beach25 km away · Pamlico County
Beach
Gatlin Beach29 km away · Craven County
State Park
Hammocks Beach State Park32 km away · Onslow County
Beach
Indian Beach36 km away · Carteret County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Catfish Lake South Wilderness?
April has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Catfish Lake South Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:01 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:35 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:49 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Catfish Lake South Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Catfish Lake South Wilderness?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Catfish Lake South Wilderness?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Catfish Lake South Wilderness from Maysville?
About 7.9 km (4.9 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.