Located in Jasper County, Iowa, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 4.2 km (2.6 mi) SW of Prairie City.
The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is a federal national wildlife refuge located in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The refuge, formerly known as Walnut Creek, is named after Congressman Neal Edward Smith, who championed its creation. It seeks to restore the tallgrass prairie and oak savanna ecosystems that once covered most of Iowa. It has a herd of approximately 62 American bison and 19 elk. An initial group of six bison were released in 1996. The bison herd roams an approximately 800-acre enclosure (320 ha). The core of the Neal Smith refuge was a 3,600-acre (1,500 ha) block of land originally acquired by Iowa Power and Light for a nuclear power plant. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired this land in 1990. The Fish and Wildlife Service has acquired about 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) more of the allocated 11,865 acres (4,802 ha).From the Wikipedia article “Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 57° ENE | 8:51 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 121° ESE | 4:47 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 30m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 54m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 11m |
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 Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:41 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:59 PM – 3:29 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:49 PM – 1:59 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 11:59 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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 ≈ 21.07 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 January as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 56 | 69 | 79 | 88 | 97 | 103 | 109 | 106 | 101 | 89 | 76 | 69 |
| Low °F | -29 | -13 | -11 | 17 | 29 | 41 | 50 | 46 | 36 | 22 | 7 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.4 |
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.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- 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 Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered Bridge
State Park
Botanical GardenScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Botanical GardenScenic Viewpoint
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Elk Rock Campground And Boat Ramp25 km (16 mi)
- Roberts Creek West Campground26 km (16 mi)
- Roberts Creek East Campground26 km (16 mi)
- Fifield (Ia)27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Whitebreast Point Shelter (Ia)28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge from Prairie 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.