Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Jefferson County, Colorado. The nearest town is Arvada, about 4.4 km (2.7 mi) away (Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge lies NNW of town).
Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge is the smallest urban unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The refuge is located in the City of Arvada, Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The refuge consists of 72.2 acres (29.2 ha) of land, including 63.2 acres (25.6 ha) of uplands, 9.0 acres (3.6 ha) of wetlands, and three small ponds. The site sits in the midst of a region of suburban expansion of the Denver Metropolitan Area, and was saved from development in 1990 by a group of concerned people, now a Friend's group entitled the Two Ponds Preservation Foundation. The refuge was established in 1992 and continues to protect various animals as well as unique high prairie plants, and offers visitors many activities, including hiking, guided tours, and group educational opportunities.From the Wikipedia article “Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Two Ponds 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 58° ENE | 8:33 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 121° ESE | 4:40 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 22m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 3:48 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:32 PM – 3:22 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:04 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:59 PM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:02 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:02 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.27 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 September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 46 | 47 | 64 | 68 | 81 | 86 | 87 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 62 | 49 |
| Low °F | -21 | -30 | -20 | -8 | 4 | 23 | 34 | 31 | 16 | -6 | -14 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
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.
- 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 Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Lake
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Mountain PeakFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge from Arvada?
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.