Located in Collier County, Florida, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 15.5 km (9.6 mi) E of Marco Island.
The Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge is located in Southwest Florida in Collier County, between Marco Island and Everglades City, Florida. The refuge was first established in 1996 and covers 35,000 acres of the Ten Thousand Islands. The refuge includes both fresh and saltwater, and protects a large area of mangrove forest. Activities include fishing, hunting, bird watching, kayaking and camping. The refuge is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. There are approximately 200 species of fish, 189 species of birds and innumerable plant species.From the Wikipedia article “Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ten Thousand Islands 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 88° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 270° W | 64° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:22 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 41° | 10h 31m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 42m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 18m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:36 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 46m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 24m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 45m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 36m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 03m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 34m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 53m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 32m |
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 Ten Thousand Islands 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:27 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:42 AM – 6:12 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:41 PM – 5:11 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:50 PM – 5:00 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:49 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.7 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:25 PM – 1:35 AM | 4.2 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 11:29 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 9:36 PM | 1.3 | 23° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 81 | 83 | 86 | 90 | 92 | 94 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 90 | 88 | 82 |
| Low °F | 39 | 41 | 48 | 55 | 65 | 75 | 77 | 77 | 71 | 54 | 51 | 42 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 8.4 | 7.1 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge from Marco Island?
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.