Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Modoc County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 62 km (39 mi) SE of Altamont.
Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States in northeastern California. It includes about 20,000 acres (81 km2) of open water surrounded by over 26,000 acres (110 km2) of upland bunchgrass, low sagebrush, and juniper habitat. Small, rocky islands in the wetlands provide breeding sites for American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, and other colony-nesting birds. The uplands are inhabited by pronghorn, mule deer, and sage grouse. The Clear Lake Reservoir is the primary source of water for the croplands of the eastern Klamath Basin, with water levels regulated by the Bureau of Reclamation. Except for limited pronghorn and waterfowl hunting during the state hunting seasons, the refuge is closed to all public access for the protection of habitat and wildlife.From the Wikipedia article “Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 57° ENE | 8:44 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 122° ESE | 4:37 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 28m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:12 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 56m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 09m |
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 Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:36 AM – 4:36 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 3:44 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 10:53 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 1:53 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 11:52 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 63 | 63 | 72 | 80 | 89 | 98 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -2 | 9 | 10 | 22 | 29 | 39 | 39 | 29 | 19 | 0 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 5.0 |
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 Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Cave
LakeNatural ArchNatural ArchFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge from Altamont?
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.