Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Jackson County, Mississippi. It sits roughly 7.5 km (4.7 mi) NE of Gulf Hills.
The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1975 to safeguard the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and its unique disappearing wet pine savanna habitat. The refuge consists of more than 19,000 acres (77 km2) in four units and is now part of the Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Refuge Complex Manager also administers Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Mississippi/Alabama) and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (Alabama).From the Wikipedia article “Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mississippi Sandhill Crane 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 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 62° ENE | 8:01 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:49 AM | 117° ESE | 4:59 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 10m |
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 | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:08 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 06m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 56m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 4:25 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 11m |
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 Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:24 PM – 4:24 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:37 PM – 4:07 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:34 PM – 2:44 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:05 PM – 12:45 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:43 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:45 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.31 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 December as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 95 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 95 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 21 | 28 | 29 | 42 | 48 | 66 | 69 | 63 | 56 | 42 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
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 Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Ghost Town
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge from Gulf Hills?
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.