Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness — a wilderness area in LeFlore County, Oklahoma — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) SSE of Heavener.
The Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Created by an act of Congress in 1988, the wilderness covers an area of 9,754 acres (39.47 km2). Contained within Ouachita National Forest, the wilderness is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The wilderness has both Pine Mountain and Rich Mountain which are two long mountain ridges that rise to over 2,600 feet (792 m) above sea level. Several streams and waterfalls flow off the ridges creating the headwaters of the Kiamichi River. Beech trees, usually found much farther north, along with pine and dense stands of oak dominate the forest. Black bears can be found in the wilderness, along with White-tailed deer, bobcat, skunk and Pheasant. About 7 miles (11.3 km) of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail pass through the wilderness allowing hikers access to the highest mountain ridges in eastern Oklahoma.From the Wikipedia article “Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:23 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 61° ENE | 8:35 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:07 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 118° ESE | 5:12 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:36 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Upper Kiamichi River 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:56 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 5:09 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 4:33 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:20 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 2:45 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:50 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:42 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:48 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 73 | 76 | 81 | 88 | 97 | 107 | 107 | 112 | 104 | 92 | 83 | 76 |
| Low °F | 0 | 2 | 10 | 25 | 34 | 52 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 28 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness, closest first.
Wilderness Area
State Park
Mountain Pass
Fire Lookout
Waterfall
Ghost Town
National Forest
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Winding Stair Campground (Ok)14.0 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Cedar Lake (Oklahoma)17.9 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness?
How far is Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness from Heavener?
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.