Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Jackson County, Alabama. It sits roughly 15.3 km (9.5 mi) NE of New Hope.
Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge is a 199-acre (0.8 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located in northeastern Alabama, near Paint Rock, Alabama in Jackson County. The refuge is undeveloped and not intended for recreational visitation. Access into the cave is not permitted due to the endangered species of bats present. The site is administered by the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in nearby Decatur, Alabama.From the Wikipedia article “Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge 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) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 61° ENE | 8:02 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:49 AM | 118° ESE | 4:39 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
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 | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:05 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 Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:23 AM – 5:03 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:37 AM – 5:27 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 4:36 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:07 PM – 12:17 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:36 PM – 8:16 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.2 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 72 | 76 | 82 | 85 | 93 | 105 | 104 | 106 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 4 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 56 | 53 | 40 | 29 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.6 |
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
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Cave
Scenic Viewpoint
National Wildlife Refuge
WaterfallWaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
State ParkScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge from New Hope?
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.