Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Highlands County, Florida. It sits roughly 8.7 km (5.4 mi) NNE of Lake Placid.
The Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) System, located in four separated areas on the Lake Wales Ridge east of US 27 between Davenport and Sebring in Florida. The 1,194 acre (4.8 km2) refuge was established in 1990, to protect a host of plants and animals. It is also the first to be designated primarily for the preservation of endangered plants, and is not open to the general public. It contains a high proportion of remaining Florida scrub habitat. It is administered as part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 63° ENE | 8:24 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 116° ESE | 5:36 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 25m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 36m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 30m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 52m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 42m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 07m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 48m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 25m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.0 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:42 AM – 6:12 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.8 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 5:04 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 4:54 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.7 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 1:27 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 11:29 PM | 2.7 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 9:25 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.35 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (59%). August 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 | 87 | 90 | 97 | 99 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 94 | 90 | 88 |
| Low °F | 24 | 28 | 34 | 41 | 54 | 66 | 70 | 68 | 62 | 38 | 37 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 8.5 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
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 Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
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Dark Sky PlaceFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge from Lake Placid?
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.