Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Osage County, Missouri. It sits roughly 17.4 km (10.8 mi) NNE of Linn.
The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge was established in 1994, and has grown to over 16,700 acres (68 km2). Like pearls on a string, these acres are spread out as individual units along the Missouri River between Kansas City and St. Louis. These pearls of habitat benefit floodplain-dependent fish and wildlife species. The Big Muddy Refuge is planning to grow to 60,000 acres (240 km2) by buying land from willing sellers who want to see their properties set aside for the benefit of wildlife and the enjoyment of all. The pre-development Missouri River as documented by Lewis and Clark was considerably different from today's river. The historic Missouri was a broad, slow-moving, shallow river with braided channels. These past river conditions created a haven for wildlife, which included vast floodplain forests of giant trees, marshes, and even wet prairies. Today's river is...From the Wikipedia article “Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:32 PM – 3:42 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 71 | 77 | 82 | 88 | 96 | 108 | 109 | 107 | 102 | 94 | 80 | 72 |
| Low °F | -9 | -14 | 2 | 20 | 30 | 48 | 52 | 48 | 37 | 22 | 9 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Ghost TownGhost TownGhost TownGhost Town
Natural Arch
State Park
State ParkCaveGhost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge from Linn?
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.