Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in McHenry County, Illinois. The nearest town is Woodstock, about 7.3 km (4.5 mi) away (Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge lies NNW of town).
The Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is a United States national wildlife refuge that includes noncontiguous properties, especially tallgrass prairie patches, wetland properties, and oak savanna parcels, located in the northwestern region of the Chicago metropolitan area and the southern part of the Milwaukee area. The refuge's boundaries encompass parts of McHenry County, Illinois, and Walworth County, Wisconsin. The refuge is operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, (USFWS). 85 percent of the refuge is in Illinois, and 15 percent in Wisconsin. The refuge covers 11,200 acres of land in Illinois and Wisconsin, which complements 23,000 acres for public use or under environmental protection. Existing parklands adjacent to the refuge's boundaries include several McHenry County Conservation District areas. "Hackmatack" is a term of Native American origin for the...From the Wikipedia article “Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:18 AM | 57° ENE | 8:35 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 122° ESE | 4:25 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 04m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:01 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 06m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:27 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 3:28 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 1:38 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 11:35 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:32 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 47% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 57 | 65 | 79 | 83 | 90 | 96 | 104 | 99 | 93 | 86 | 73 | 66 |
| Low °F | -41 | -22 | -15 | 13 | 26 | 36 | 45 | 44 | 33 | 16 | 2 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 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
- 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.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge from Woodstock?
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.