Located in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge.
The Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge is a 3,500,000-acre (14,000 km2) conservation area in Alaska. It lies within the floodplain of the Koyukuk River, in a basin that extends from the Yukon River to the Purcell Mountains and the foothills of the Brooks Range. This region of wetlands is home to fish, waterfowl, beaver and Alaskan moose, and wooded lowlands where two species of fox, bears, wolf packs, Canadian lynx and marten prowl. The 750,000-acre (3,000 km2) Northern Unit of the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge, commonly known as Kaiyuh Flats, is managed as part of the Koyukuk/Nowitna Refuge Complex. Rich in wetlands, the Northern Innoko is an extremely productive breeding area for migratory waterfowl and fish. The streams and rivers of the refuge complex support three species of salmon, Arctic grayling, sheefish, and many other fish species. Northern pike, especially those that...From the Wikipedia article “Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 6° (N) at the June solstice and 159° (SSE) in late December. Sunset moves from 354° (N) in June to 202° (SSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 48° in summer but only 1° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:27 AM | 89° E | 8:42 PM | 272° W | 24° | 12h 15m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 2:55 AM | 6° N | 2:02 AM | 354° N | 48° | 23h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:10 AM | 88° E | 8:29 PM | 273° W | 25° | 12h 20m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 11:51 AM | 159° SSE | 2:59 PM | 202° SSW | 1° | 3h 09m |
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 | 9:57 AM | 11:13 AM | — | — | 3:59 PM | 5:15 PM | 4h 47m |
| February | 8:35 AM | 9:29 AM | 10:56 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:47 PM | 8h 23m |
| March | 7:55 AM | 8:46 AM | 9:53 AM | 7:18 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:16 PM | 11h 40m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:56 PM | 10:06 PM | 11:06 PM | 15h 18m |
| May | — | 4:54 AM | 6:26 AM | 10:20 PM | 11:53 PM | — | 18h 59m |
| June | — | 3:03 AM | 5:38 AM | 11:17 PM | 1:51 AM | — | 22h 48m |
| July | — | 4:14 AM | 6:07 AM | 10:59 PM | 12:52 AM | — | 20h 38m |
| August | 4:56 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:25 AM | 9:38 PM | 10:54 PM | 12:07 AM | 16h 46m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:54 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:48 PM | 13h 08m |
| October | 8:30 AM | 9:22 AM | 10:37 AM | 5:48 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:54 PM | 9h 41m |
| November | 9:04 AM | 10:10 AM | — | — | 4:13 PM | 5:19 PM | 6h 03m |
| December | 10:11 AM | 11:44 AM | — | — | 3:00 PM | 4:33 PM | 3h 17m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and October as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 33 | 35 | 34 | 56 | 80 | 85 | 89 | 84 | 69 | 57 | 33 | 33 |
| Low °F | -53 | -53 | -41 | -26 | -3 | 24 | 33 | 31 | 14 | -16 | -40 | -46 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge?
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.