Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Humboldt County, California. The nearest town is Humboldt Hill, about 2.6 km (1.6 mi) away (Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge lies WSW of town).
Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located on Humboldt Bay, on the California North Coast near the cities of Eureka and Arcata. The refuge exists primarily to protect and enhance wetland habitats for migratory water birds using the bay area, including tens of thousands of shorebirds, ducks, geese, swans, and the black brant. Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, along with other public and private lands around Humboldt Bay, is one of the key stopovers for the millions of migratory birds that rely on the Pacific Flyway. More than 200 bird species, including 80 kinds of water birds and four endangered species, regularly feed, rest, or nest on the refuge or other areas around the bay.From the Wikipedia article “Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 58° ENE | 8:52 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 121° ESE | 4:53 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 16m |
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 Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:45 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:41 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:57 PM – 3:37 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.25 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 61% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 76 | 75 | 88 | 79 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | 35 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 47 | 49 | 51 | 48 | 44 | 39 | 35 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.5 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 10.8 |
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.
- 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 Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Sand Dunes
State Park
Natural ArchFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge from Humboldt Hill?
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.