Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Fulton County, Kentucky — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 13.6 km (8.5 mi) WSW of Hickman.
Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge is a part of the U.S. system of National Wildlife Refuges consisting of an area of Northwest Tennessee and Western Kentucky that consists primarily of a buffer zone around Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee's only large natural lake. It formed after the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–1812 and is one of the Mississippi River Basin's richest locations for waterfowl, aquatic life, and other wildlife. It covers 10,428 acres (4,220 ha) and comprises primarily lands adjacent to the lake that have not been included in the Tennessee State Park system, as part of Reelfoot Lake State Park. The refuge was established in 1941 and has been expanded on several occasions. Some of it consists of agricultural land that is leased to farmers, but they are required to use stricter conservation practices than were widespread when the same land was held in private ownership,...From the Wikipedia article “Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 60° ENE | 8:20 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 119° ESE | 4:46 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:45 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:01 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:52 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:08 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:25 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:33 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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 ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 72 | 73 | 80 | 86 | 90 | 106 | 105 | 105 | 100 | 93 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 3 | -1 | 7 | 24 | 36 | 50 | 57 | 52 | 42 | 28 | 15 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
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
- 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 Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Ghost Town
State ParkGhost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge from Hickman?
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.