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36.1979° N94.3954° WBortle 4Chicago

Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Benton County, Arkansas

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–300°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Benton County, Arkansas, Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 11.1 km (6.9 mi) SE of Gentry.

Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge in Benton County, Arkansas became the 455th National Wildlife Refuge on March 14, 1989, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This 123-acre (0.50 km2) Ozark Mountain refuge, which includes a limestone-solution cave, is located 20 miles (32 km) west of Fayetteville, Arkansas and approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of U.S. Route 412.From the Wikipedia article “Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Gentry
11.1 km (6.9 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
41% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:08 PM
sunset 6:43 PM

Light at Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:30 AM
Sunset
6:36 PM
Golden hour AM
7:14 AM – 8:05 AM
Golden hour PM
6:01 PM – 6:52 PM
Blue hour AM
7:04 AM – 7:14 AM
Blue hour PM
6:52 PM – 7:02 PM
Full darkness
8:02 PM – 6:05 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:40 PM / 1:43 AM
Day length
11h 07m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:22 AM90° E7:30 PM271° W54°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:01 AM60° ENE8:39 PM300° WNW77°14h 38m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:06 AM89° E7:16 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:26 AM119° ESE5:07 PM241° WSW30°9h 41m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:01 AM7:29 AM8:07 AM4:48 PM5:27 PM5:55 PM9h 58m
February6:40 AM7:06 AM7:42 AM5:24 PM5:59 PM6:25 PM10h 53m
March7:04 AM7:29 AM8:03 AM6:51 PM7:25 PM7:51 PM11h 56m
April6:18 AM6:45 AM7:19 AM7:17 PM7:52 PM8:18 PM13h 07m
May5:44 AM6:12 AM6:49 AM7:41 PM8:17 PM8:46 PM14h 05m
June5:30 AM6:01 AM6:39 AM7:59 PM8:37 PM9:08 PM14h 37m
July5:43 AM6:12 AM6:50 AM7:58 PM8:36 PM9:05 PM14h 23m
August6:09 AM6:37 AM7:12 AM7:34 PM8:09 PM8:37 PM13h 33m
September6:35 AM7:01 AM7:35 AM6:53 PM7:27 PM7:52 PM12h 26m
October6:59 AM7:25 AM8:00 AM6:08 PM6:43 PM7:09 PM11h 18m
November6:28 AM6:55 AM7:33 AM4:33 PM5:11 PM5:38 PM10h 16m
December6:54 AM7:22 AM8:02 AM4:25 PM5:05 PM5:34 PM9h 43m

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 Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:06 AM – 5:36 AM0.514°SE → SE
March4:21 AM – 6:01 AM1.722°SE → SSE
April2:13 AM – 5:13 AM3.025°SE → S
May12:19 AM – 4:29 AM4.225°SE → SSW
June10:28 PM – 4:08 AM5.725°SE → SW
July10:23 PM – 2:43 AM4.325°SSE → SW
August9:45 PM – 12:35 AM2.825°S → SW
September8:54 PM – 10:34 PM1.722°SSW → SW
October8:09 PM – 8:39 PM0.515°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-19°—

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 ≈ 20.97 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F7376859393105108112102908073
Low °F-7-4422334953514123132
Precip. (in)2.32.53.95.06.14.53.73.83.74.22.92.6

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

  • 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 Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Ghost Town
Blewford6.6 km away · Washington County
Ghost Town
Eldorado Springs23 km away · Benton County
Natural Falls State ParkState Park
Natural Falls State Park25 km away · Delaware County
Prairie Grove Battlefield State ParkState Park
Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park25 km away · Washington County
Wonderland CaveCave
Wonderland Cave31 km away · Benton County
Monte NeGhost Town
Monte Ne31 km away · Benton County
Ozark Plateau National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge31 km away · Delaware County
Old Spanish Treasure CaveCave
Old Spanish Treasure Cave32 km away · Benton County
Ghost Town
Sexton33 km away · Washington County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
What time is golden hour at Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:08 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:43 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:00 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge from Gentry?
About 11.1 km (6.9 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.