Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, LA Photo: John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS
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29.9585° N92.8668° WBortle 2Chicago

Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish, Louisiana

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–298°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters · Public domain · source

Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The nearest town is Lake Arthur, about 23 km (14 mi) away (Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge lies SW of town).

Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge is located in Cameron and Evangeline Parishes in southwestern Louisiana, was established in 1937 by Executive Order No. 7780 as "a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife". The refuge is nearly 35,000 acres (140 km2) in size, including 653 acres (2.64 km2) leased from the Cameron Parish School Board. The Evangeline Parish unit is called Duralde Prairie and is currently being developed. It is located south of the city of Eunice.From the Wikipedia article “Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Lake Arthur
23 km (14 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
October
40% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:10 PM
sunset 6:42 PM

Light at Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:17 AM
Sunset
6:37 PM
Golden hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:50 AM
Golden hour PM
6:04 PM – 6:51 PM
Blue hour AM
6:53 AM – 7:02 AM
Blue hour PM
6:51 PM – 7:01 PM
Full darkness
7:56 PM – 5:58 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:25 PM / 1:48 AM
Day length
11h 19m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 37° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:16 AM90° E7:23 PM271° W60°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:12 AM62° ENE8:16 PM298° WNW83°14h 04m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:01 AM89° E7:10 PM271° W60°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:04 AM117° ESE5:17 PM243° WSW37°10h 13m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:43 AM7:09 AM7:44 AM4:59 PM5:34 PM6:00 PM10h 26m
February6:28 AM6:52 AM7:25 AM5:28 PM6:01 PM6:25 PM11h 09m
March6:58 AM7:22 AM7:54 AM6:49 PM7:20 PM7:44 PM11h 58m
April6:21 AM6:45 AM7:17 AM7:07 PM7:39 PM8:03 PM12h 54m
May5:53 AM6:19 AM6:53 AM7:25 PM7:58 PM8:25 PM13h 39m
June5:44 AM6:11 AM6:46 AM7:40 PM8:15 PM8:42 PM14h 04m
July5:54 AM6:21 AM6:56 AM7:40 PM8:15 PM8:42 PM13h 54m
August6:15 AM6:40 AM7:12 AM7:21 PM7:54 PM8:19 PM13h 14m
September6:33 AM6:57 AM7:28 AM6:47 PM7:18 PM7:42 PM12h 22m
October6:50 AM7:14 AM7:46 AM6:10 PM6:42 PM7:06 PM11h 28m
November6:12 AM6:37 AM7:12 AM4:42 PM5:17 PM5:42 PM10h 39m
December6:34 AM7:01 AM7:37 AM4:38 PM5:14 PM5:41 PM10h 14m

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 Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February4:31 AM – 5:21 AM0.818°SE → SE
March3:39 AM – 5:59 AM2.328°SE → SSE
April1:42 AM – 5:12 AM3.531°SE → S
May11:39 PM – 4:39 AM5.031°SE → SSW
June9:51 PM – 4:31 AM6.731°SE → SW
July9:48 PM – 3:08 AM5.331°SSE → SW
August9:20 PM – 1:00 AM3.731°S → SW
September8:38 PM – 10:58 PM2.328°SSW → SW
October8:01 PM – 9:01 PM1.020°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—4°—
DecemberBelow 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.7 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F717477808892919492868174
Low °F262936445671757164513735
Precip. (in)5.44.53.84.95.17.78.09.06.95.54.45.1

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

  • 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.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Cameron Prairie National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge36 km away · Cameron Parish
National Wildlife Refuge
East Cove National Wildlife Refuge37 km away · Cameron Parish

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
What time is golden hour at Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:10 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:42 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:46 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 62° in June to 117° in December; sunset ranges from 298° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge from Lake Arthur?
About 23 km (14 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.