Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Mohave County, Arizona. The nearest town is Cienega Springs, about 18.8 km (11.7 mi) away (Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge lies ENE of town).
The Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge protects the lower course of the Bill Williams River, to its mouth at Lake Havasu reservoir, in western Arizona. It is located within eastern La Paz and Mohave Counties, in the Lower Colorado River Valley region. The federal wildlife refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Recreation activities include nature walks, bird watching, hiking, and kayaking on the Bill Williams River. The Nature Conservancy acquired the land from the Arizona Ranch and Metals Company in 1977 and donated it to the Fish and Wildlife Service.From the Wikipedia article “Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bill Williams River 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) | 6:41 AM | 90° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 61° ENE | 7:52 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:25 AM | 89° E | 6:34 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 118° ESE | 5:31 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:20 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:07 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:10 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 53m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), 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 Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | 5:14 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:18 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:26 AM – 4:26 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:29 PM – 3:49 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:35 PM – 3:35 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:31 PM – 2:11 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:56 PM – 12:06 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:09 PM – 10:09 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:26 PM – 8:06 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 ≈ 21.73 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 16% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (41%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 87 | 88 | 97 | 103 | 111 | 120 | 121 | 118 | 116 | 106 | 94 | 82 |
| Low °F | 24 | 23 | 32 | 37 | 47 | 55 | 67 | 65 | 53 | 37 | 28 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
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.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
LighthouseLighthouse
State Park
State ParkLighthouse
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Ghost Town
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge from Cienega Springs?
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.