Located in Lee County, Florida, Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Saint James City, about 6.9 km (4.3 mi) away (Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge lies N of town).
The Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located within the Matlacha Pass estuary, approximately 8 miles northwest of Fort Myers, Florida. The 538 acre (2.2 km2) refuge was established on September 26, 1908. The islands were established as a "preserve and breeding ground for native birds" by President Theodore Roosevelt. It is administered as part of the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge Complex.From the Wikipedia article “Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Matlacha Pass 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 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:37 AM | 63° ENE | 8:25 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 28m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 39m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:09 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 47m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 27m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 48m |
| July | 6:20 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 39m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 05m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 51m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 29m |
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 Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° 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 | 4:29 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.2 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 5:15 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 5:04 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:53 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.7 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 1:28 AM | 4.0 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 11:31 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:28 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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 ≈ 20.01 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 76 | 76 | 78 | 83 | 86 | 90 | 89 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 84 | 78 |
| Low °F | 42 | 46 | 50 | 58 | 68 | 74 | 78 | 79 | 74 | 60 | 54 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 7.2 | 6.6 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
National Wildlife Refuge
Botanical Garden
State Park
Lighthouse
LighthouseNational Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge from Saint James City?
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.