Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Marshlands
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29.9000° N93.5333° WBortle 3Chicago

Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish, Louisiana

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–298°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: User:Podruznik · Public domain · source

Sabine National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The nearest town is Hackberry, about 21 km (13 mi) away (Sabine National Wildlife Refuge lies WSW of town).

Sabine National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located in Cameron Parish in southwestern Louisiana. It is on Louisiana Highway 27, 8 miles (13 km) south of Hackberry and 12 miles (19 km) north of Holly Beach. The western boundary of the Sabine Refuge is Sabine Lake, the inlet for Port Arthur, Texas, while the tip of the eastern end reaches Calcasieu Lake.From the Wikipedia article “Sabine National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Hackberry
21 km (13 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
October
38% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:12 PM
sunset 6:45 PM

Light at Sabine National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:20 AM
Sunset
6:39 PM
Golden hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:52 AM
Golden hour PM
6:07 PM – 6:54 PM
Blue hour AM
6:56 AM – 7:05 AM
Blue hour PM
6:54 PM – 7:04 PM
Full darkness
7:59 PM – 6:01 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:27 PM / 1:51 AM
Day length
11h 20m
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 Sabine 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:19 AM90° E7:26 PM271° W60°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:15 AM62° ENE8:19 PM298° WNW84°14h 04m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:03 AM89° E7:12 PM271° W60°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:06 AM117° ESE5:20 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
January6:45 AM7:11 AM7:46 AM5:02 PM5:37 PM6:03 PM10h 26m
February6:30 AM6:55 AM7:28 AM5:31 PM6:04 PM6:28 PM11h 09m
March7:01 AM7:25 AM7:56 AM6:51 PM7:23 PM7:47 PM11h 58m
April6:23 AM6:48 AM7:20 AM7:09 PM7:41 PM8:06 PM12h 53m
May5:56 AM6:22 AM6:55 AM7:27 PM8:01 PM8:27 PM13h 39m
June5:46 AM6:14 AM6:49 AM7:42 PM8:17 PM8:45 PM14h 03m
July5:57 AM6:24 AM6:58 AM7:43 PM8:17 PM8:44 PM13h 53m
August6:17 AM6:43 AM7:15 AM7:24 PM7:57 PM8:22 PM13h 14m
September6:36 AM7:00 AM7:31 AM6:49 PM7:21 PM7:45 PM12h 21m
October6:52 AM7:16 AM7:49 AM6:12 PM6:45 PM7:09 PM11h 28m
November6:15 AM6:40 AM7:14 AM4:45 PM5:19 PM5:45 PM10h 39m
December6:37 AM7:03 AM7:39 AM4:41 PM5:17 PM5:43 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 Sabine 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February4:34 AM – 5:24 AM0.818°SE → SE
March3:42 AM – 6:02 AM2.328°SE → SSE
April1:45 AM – 5:15 AM3.531°SE → S
May11:42 PM – 4:42 AM5.031°SE → SSW
June9:54 PM – 4:34 AM6.731°SE → SW
July9:51 PM – 3:11 AM5.331°SSE → SW
August9:23 PM – 1:03 AM3.731°S → SW
September8:41 PM – 11:01 PM2.328°SSW → SW
October8:04 PM – 9:04 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.55 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 38% 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 °F707176848792919392868172
Low °F293136465573767467504138
Precip. (in)5.43.93.84.35.46.96.68.17.86.04.35.1

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

  • 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.
  • Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

National Wildlife Refuge
East Cove National Wildlife Refuge30 km away · Cameron Parish
Sabine LakeLake
Sabine Lake30 km away · Orange County
Cameron Prairie National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge31 km away · Cameron Parish
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature CenterBotanical Garden
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center32 km away · Orange County
Sabine Pass LightLighthouse
Sabine Pass Light37 km away · Cameron Parish

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Sabine 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 Sabine National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:12 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:45 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:49 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Sabine 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 Sabine National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sabine 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 Sabine National Wildlife Refuge from Hackberry?
About 21 km (13 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.