Blackjack Springs Wilderness is a wilderness area in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The nearest town is Eagle River, about 13.7 km (8.5 mi) away (Blackjack Springs Wilderness lies ENE of town).
The Blackjack Springs Wilderness is a 5,800-acre (23 km2) wilderness area northeast of Eagle River, Wisconsin. It is located within the Nicolet unit of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and is administered by the US Forest Service. The area protects four large, crystal-clear springs at the headwaters of Blackjack Creek, part of the Eagle River and Wisconsin River drainage. The area was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System by Congress in 1978 as part of the Wisconsin Wilderness Act following an effort spearheaded by Sen. William Proxmire and Rep. Robert John Cornell. The area displays the rolling, uneven landscape caused by the Wisconsin Glacial Episode, typical of the Lake Superior highlands. The wilderness area itself contains one lake, Whispering Lake, and a number of other streams, ponds, and wetland areas. A majority of the forest is new-growth...From the Wikipedia article “Blackjack Springs Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Blackjack Springs Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:06 AM | 54° NE | 8:51 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 124° SE | 4:14 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 38m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:23 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 03m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 4:50 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 57m |
| June | 4:27 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:52 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 44m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 24m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:43 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:12 PM | 4:47 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Blackjack Springs Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:12 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:03 AM – 4:13 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:05 AM – 3:05 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:31 PM – 2:21 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:12 PM – 1:02 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 11:05 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 9:02 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 42 | 51 | 73 | 77 | 84 | 86 | 95 | 90 | 88 | 80 | 67 | 56 |
| Low °F | -40 | -29 | -26 | -1 | 24 | 36 | 42 | 39 | 28 | 14 | -10 | -30 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
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 Blackjack Springs Wilderness, closest first.
Lake
Wilderness Area
Lake
Lake
Lake
Lake
Wilderness Area
Lake
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Anvil Lake Campground4.9 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Spectacle Lake Campground (Wisconsin)7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Franklin Lake8.4 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Kentuck Lake Campground8.8 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Luna White Deer Campground13.9 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Blackjack Springs Wilderness?
How far is Blackjack Springs Wilderness from Eagle River?
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.