Located in Pike County, Indiana, Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Oakland City, about 5.0 km (3.1 mi) away (Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area lies NE of town).
The Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area, established in 1994, is a collection of wildlife refuges and habitats situated along the Patoka River in Gibson and Pike counties in southwestern Indiana. It consists mostly of the main body refuge along nearly 40 miles (64 km) of the river's course from just north of Francisco, Indiana, to just west of Velpen, Indiana. Other areas include the Cane Ridge Wildlife Management Area managed by Duke Energy and located immediately south of Gibson Lake and the Gibson Generating Station in northwestern Gibson County, 9 miles (14 km) east of the main body. The refuge is authorized for 23,962 acres (96.97 km2). As of 2010, 6,149 acres (24.88 km2) are owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Many species of birds nest or spend the winter in these areas, including the bald eagle and endangered least tern.From the Wikipedia article “Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area 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 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:54 AM | 90° E | 8:01 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:26 AM | 59° ENE | 9:17 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:38 AM | 89° E | 7:48 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:03 AM | 120° ESE | 5:33 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 7:37 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:46 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:22 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:35 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:36 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:23 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:54 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:47 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 6:07 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:35 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:44 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:13 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 7:05 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:06 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:32 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:34 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 9h 31m |
Local time (America/Indiana/Petersburg), 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 Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:46 AM – 6:06 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 5:04 AM – 6:24 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:59 AM – 5:29 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 11:11 PM – 4:21 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:04 PM – 3:04 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:23 PM – 1:03 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:28 PM – 10:58 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:40 PM – 9:00 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.58 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 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 69 | 72 | 80 | 84 | 89 | 106 | 108 | 104 | 97 | 92 | 80 | 72 |
| Low °F | -13 | -8 | 3 | 22 | 33 | 39 | 51 | 51 | 40 | 25 | 13 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.7 |
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.
- 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 Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area?
What time is golden hour at Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area?
How far is Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area from Oakland City?
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.