Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Contra Costa County, California. The nearest town is Antioch, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) away (Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge lies NE of town).
Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is a sensitive sand dune habitat located near the city of Antioch, California on the south shore of the San Joaquin River-Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel. It serves as a refuge for three endangered species of plants and insects, and is closed to the public except for tours and events supervised by Refuge staff. The Refuge was established in 1980. It is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.From the Wikipedia article “Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 31m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.39 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 11% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 77 | 77 | 83 | 93 | 107 | 112 | 116 | 112 | 115 | 107 | 87 | 76 |
| Low °F | 24 | 26 | 29 | 33 | 38 | 45 | 51 | 52 | 47 | 40 | 26 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 4.5 |
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
- 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 Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Ghost Town
State Park
State Park
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot Spring
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge from Antioch?
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.