D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Claiborne, about 10.5 km (6.5 mi) away (D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge lies NNW of town).
D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located north of West Monroe, Louisiana. It is in Ouachita and Union Parishes on either side of Bayou D'Arbonne near its confluence with the Ouachita River. It lies on the western edge of the Mississippi River alluvial valley. It was established in 1975 to protect bottomland hardwoods and provide wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl. D'Arbonne is one of four refuges managed in the North Louisiana Refuges Complex.From the Wikipedia article “D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:03 AM | 61° ENE | 8:20 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 118° ESE | 5:08 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 00m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 17m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 30m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 01m |
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 D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:38 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:49 AM – 5:49 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 5:05 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 4:35 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 4:20 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:56 PM – 2:46 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:24 PM – 12:44 AM | 3.3 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:50 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:49 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.0 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 77 | 81 | 86 | 92 | 108 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 105 | 100 | 89 | 81 |
| Low °F | 13 | 19 | 20 | 32 | 38 | 58 | 60 | 54 | 45 | 32 | 19 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 5.4 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge from Claiborne?
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.