Located in Jones County, Georgia, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 20 km (13 mi) ENE of Forsyth.
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge is a 35,000-acre (140 km2) National Wildlife Refuge established in 1939 and located in central Georgia.From the Wikipedia article “Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:40 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:27 AM | 61° ENE | 8:48 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 118° ESE | 5:33 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 58m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:55 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 59m |
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 Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 5:32 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 4.5 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:29 PM – 4:39 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 1:12 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 11:07 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:25 PM – 9:15 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.4 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 93 | 98 | 111 | 109 | 107 | 103 | 102 | 85 | 79 |
| Low °F | 8 | 16 | 18 | 26 | 40 | 54 | 60 | 57 | 44 | 30 | 20 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.9 |
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge from Forsyth?
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.