Located in Ravalli County, Montana, Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 4.7 km (2.9 mi) N of Stevensville.
Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is a 2,800-acre (1,100 ha) National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) along the Bitterroot River in southwestern Montana, U.S. Established in 1964 as Ravalli NWR, it was renamed in 1978 in honor of the late Senator Lee Metcalf, a native of Montana. The refuge was set aside for the protection of migratory bird species. About 235 species of birds have been documented on the refuge, with over 100 nesting there. Additionally, 37 species of mammals, and 17 species of reptiles and amphibians also have been documented. The refuge's wildlife viewing area covers 160 acres (65 ha) of wetlands and riparian woodland. It includes two nature trails and a paved, wheelchair-accessible trail from the parking lot to the picnic area. The viewing area is equipped with a viewing and fishing structure, outdoor restroom facilities, benches, and an information kiosk. One of the...From the Wikipedia article “Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lee Metcalf 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 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:40 AM | 89° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 54° NE | 9:34 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:18 AM | 124° SE | 4:52 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 34m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:50 PM | 8h 59m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:19 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:30 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:18 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 01m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:11 PM | 15h 48m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 28m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 12m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:36 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:21 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 25m |
| December | 7:39 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:05 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:25 PM | 8h 36m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:53 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:55 AM – 4:55 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:50 AM – 3:40 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:20 AM – 2:50 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:58 PM – 1:38 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:47 PM – 11:37 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:33 PM – 9:33 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 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: 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 32% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 46 | 47 | 65 | 71 | 81 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 89 | 80 | 63 | 41 |
| Low °F | -26 | -36 | -25 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 20 | -11 | -14 | -29 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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.
- 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 Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
Fire Lookout
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Canyon
National Forest
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Larry Creek Group Camp5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Charles Waters Campground5.1 km (3.1 mi)
- Gold Creek Campground22 km (14 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge from Stevensville?
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.