Located in Ripley County, Indiana, Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 18.8 km (11.7 mi) ESE of North Vernon.
Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge is a 50,000-acre (202 km2) wildlife refuge operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in southeast Indiana, United States, near Madison, Indiana. The refuge is the largest of Indiana's three National Wildlife Refuges (Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge near Seymour, IN and Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area near Oakland City, IN), and is located in parts of Ripley, Jefferson, and Jennings counties. The refuge was formed in 2000 after a 1989 order to gradually close the Jefferson Proving Ground, a World War II era munitions testing facility, which was completed by 1995. The refuge is located north of the historic firing line and surrounds a 1,000-acre (4 km2) parcel operated by the Indiana Air National Guard. A zone used for firing tests remains off limit to the public due to the prohibitive cost of cleanup.From the Wikipedia article “Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:46 AM | 90° E | 7:54 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:17 AM | 59° ENE | 9:11 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:30 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:58 AM | 120° ESE | 5:23 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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 | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:40 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:13 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 7:07 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:27 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:29 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:44 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:42 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:07 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:25 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:28 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:36 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 27m |
Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), 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 Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | 5:49 AM – 5:59 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:58 AM – 6:18 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:54 AM – 5:24 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:56 AM – 4:36 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 11:09 PM – 4:09 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:02 PM – 2:52 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 12:48 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:23 PM – 10:43 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:34 PM – 8:44 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 January 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 | 68 | 73 | 80 | 83 | 88 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 99 | 95 | 81 | 71 |
| Low °F | -4 | -7 | -1 | 23 | 30 | 44 | 50 | 50 | 38 | 25 | 13 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 |
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
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Covered BridgeWaterfallState ParkWaterfallWaterfall
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge from North Vernon?
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.