Located in Barbour County, Alabama, Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 12.9 km (8.0 mi) NNE of Eufaula.
Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge is an 11,184 acre (45.26 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located in Barbour and Russell counties in Alabama and Stewart and Quitman counties in Georgia. Eufaula NWR is located on the Walter F. George Lake (also known as Lake Eufaula) along the Chattahoochee River between Alabama and Georgia. Of the 11,184 acres (45.26 km2) of managed property, 7,953 acres (32.18 km2) are in Alabama and 3,231 acres (13.08 km2) are in Georgia. Eufaula NWR was established in 1964 in cooperation with the United States Army Corps of Engineers which manages the Walter F. George Lock and Dam and the majority of Walter F. George Lake. More than 325,000 visitors per year visit the refuge. The fiscal year 2005 budget was $718,000.From the Wikipedia article “Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:45 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 62° ENE | 7:50 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:29 AM | 89° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:38 AM | 118° ESE | 4:41 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 03m |
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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:23 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 5:59 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:52 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:16 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 6:01 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:12 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:20 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 5:44 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:05 PM | 10h 04m |
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 Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:09 AM – 4:59 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:15 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:14 PM – 4:04 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:28 PM – 3:48 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:25 PM – 2:25 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:54 PM – 12:24 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:10 PM – 10:20 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:30 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.51 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 78 | 81 | 85 | 96 | 102 | 106 | 106 | 108 | 105 | 101 | 88 | 78 |
| Low °F | 15 | 20 | 23 | 32 | 42 | 58 | 60 | 60 | 47 | 31 | 20 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 5.5 |
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 national wildlife refuge
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bluff Creek22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- White Oak (Creek) Campground25 km (16 mi) · reservable
- White Oak Creek Day Use Group Shelters25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge from Eufaula?
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.