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46.0917° N92.8378° WBortle 3Chicago

Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Pine County, Minnesota

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–306°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug

Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Pine County, Minnesota. It sits roughly 4.9 km (3.0 mi) SSE of Sandstone.

Nearest town
Sandstone
4.9 km (3.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
51% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:46 PM
sunset 6:27 PM

Light at Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:36 AM
Sunset
6:18 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:17 AM
Golden hour PM
5:36 PM – 6:37 PM
Blue hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:37 PM – 6:48 PM
Full darkness
7:58 PM – 5:57 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:52 PM / 1:13 AM
Day length
10h 42m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
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 Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:15 AM90° E7:24 PM271° W44°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:21 AM54° NE9:07 PM306° NW67°15h 46m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:59 AM89° E7:11 PM271° W44°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:51 AM124° SE4:29 PM236° SW20°8h 38m

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
January7:17 AM7:50 AM8:38 AM4:04 PM4:52 PM5:26 PM9h 02m
February6:44 AM7:15 AM7:58 AM4:55 PM5:38 PM6:08 PM10h 22m
March6:55 AM7:25 AM8:05 AM6:38 PM7:17 PM7:47 PM11h 52m
April5:54 AM6:26 AM7:06 AM7:18 PM7:58 PM8:30 PM13h 33m
May5:05 AM5:40 AM6:23 AM7:54 PM8:37 PM9:13 PM14h 57m
June4:42 AM5:20 AM6:07 AM8:19 PM9:05 PM9:44 PM15h 45m
July4:59 AM5:36 AM6:21 AM8:15 PM9:00 PM9:37 PM15h 25m
August5:39 AM6:11 AM6:53 AM7:41 PM8:22 PM8:55 PM14h 11m
September6:20 AM6:50 AM7:30 AM6:45 PM7:25 PM7:55 PM12h 35m
October6:59 AM7:29 AM8:10 AM5:46 PM6:27 PM6:57 PM10h 58m
November6:40 AM7:13 AM7:59 AM3:55 PM4:41 PM5:13 PM9h 28m
December7:13 AM7:48 AM8:38 AM3:37 PM4:27 PM5:02 PM8h 39m

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 Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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—-5°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
March5:27 AM – 5:37 AM0.211°SSE → SSE
April3:18 AM – 4:28 AM1.214°SSE → SSE
May1:20 AM – 3:20 AM2.015°SSE → S
June11:46 PM – 2:36 AM2.815°SSE → SSW
July11:27 PM – 1:17 AM1.815°S → SSW
August10:20 PM – 11:20 PM1.014°SSW → SSW
September9:07 PM – 9:17 PM0.211°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-20°—

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 ≈ 21.35 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F4250758088941039692826952
Low °F-41-30-345243643422812-8-32
Precip. (in)0.71.11.62.93.64.23.73.53.43.01.31.4

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 Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Waterfall
Big Spring Falls2.9 km away · Pine County · 290 m
Waterfall
Wolf Creek Falls6.4 km away · Pine County · 295 m
Banning State ParkState Park
Banning State Park8.2 km away · Pine County
Grindstone LakeLake
Grindstone Lake14 km away · Pine County · 332 m
St. Croix State Park Fire TowerFire Lookout
St. Croix State Park Fire Tower18 km away · Pine County
St. Croix State ParkState Park
St. Croix State Park24 km away · Pine County
Pomroy Lookout TowerFire Lookout
Pomroy Lookout Tower29 km away · Kanabec County
Moose Lake State ParkState Park
Moose Lake State Park40 km away · Carlton County
White Pine Lookout TowerFire Lookout
White Pine Lookout Tower40 km away · Aitkin County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge?
July 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 Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:46 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:27 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:10 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 54° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 236°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sandstone 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 Sandstone National Wildlife Refuge from Sandstone?
About 4.9 km (3.0 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata. 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.