Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area — a national wildlife refuge in Kankakee County, Illinois — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 10.0 km (6.2 mi) NW of Morocco.
The Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States in Iroquois County, Illinois.From the Wikipedia article “Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 58° ENE | 8:27 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 121° ESE | 4:26 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 13m |
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 | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 33m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 28m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 06m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 50m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:29 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 15m |
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 Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:28 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 3:35 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:32 PM – 3:02 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 1:43 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 11:44 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 9:45 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 7:42 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 62 | 64 | 80 | 80 | 92 | 98 | 103 | 96 | 95 | 86 | 74 | 68 |
| Low °F | -24 | -15 | -8 | 21 | 27 | 36 | 48 | 49 | 38 | 22 | 12 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
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.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- 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 Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area?
What time is golden hour at Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area?
How far is Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area from Morocco?
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.