Fallon National Wildlife Refuge, NevadaFallon NWR receives an occasional blanket of winter snow, which provides much-needed moisture for plants and wildlife.
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39.7524° N118.6170° WBortle 2Los Angeles

Fallon National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Churchill County, Nevada

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Susan Sawyer/USFWS · Public domain · source

Fallon National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Churchill County, Nevada. It sits roughly 34 km (21 mi) NNE of Fallon.

Fallon National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located in western Nevada. It was established in 1931 as a refuge and breeding ground for birds and other wild animals. The refuge comprises over 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) of playa and wetland habitat in the Carson Sink. This area, in the Lahontan Valley, is at the terminus of the Carson River. In years of high water flows down the river, the refuge is important for migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. However, due to diversions, in most years there is not enough flow for the river to even reach the refuge lands. The refuge is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, but there are no facilities on the refuge. Roads are primitive and passable only during those periods of dry weather.From the Wikipedia article “Fallon National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Fallon
34 km (21 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
August
23% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:40 PM
sunset 6:16 PM

Light at Fallon National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:11 AM
Sunset
6:09 PM
Golden hour AM
6:54 AM – 7:48 AM
Golden hour PM
5:32 PM – 6:26 PM
Blue hour AM
6:43 AM – 6:54 AM
Blue hour PM
6:26 PM – 6:37 PM
Full darkness
7:39 PM – 5:42 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:25 PM / 1:16 AM
Day length
10h 59m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. 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 Fallon National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:59 AM90° E7:07 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:27 AM58° ENE8:27 PM302° WNW74°14h 59m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:43 AM89° E6:53 PM271° W51°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:13 AM121° ESE4:34 PM240° WSW27°9h 21m

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 AM7:14 AM7:56 AM4:13 PM4:55 PM5:24 PM9h 40m
February6:20 AM6:48 AM7:26 AM4:54 PM5:31 PM5:59 PM10h 43m
March6:40 AM7:07 AM7:42 AM6:26 PM7:02 PM7:29 PM11h 55m
April5:50 AM6:17 AM6:54 AM6:56 PM7:33 PM8:01 PM13h 15m
May5:10 AM5:41 AM6:19 AM7:24 PM8:03 PM8:33 PM14h 22m
June4:54 AM5:27 AM6:07 AM7:44 PM8:25 PM8:58 PM14h 58m
July5:08 AM5:40 AM6:19 AM7:43 PM8:22 PM8:54 PM14h 43m
August5:39 AM6:07 AM6:44 AM7:15 PM7:52 PM8:21 PM13h 45m
September6:09 AM6:36 AM7:12 AM6:29 PM7:05 PM7:32 PM12h 28m
October6:38 AM7:05 AM7:42 AM5:40 PM6:16 PM6:44 PM11h 11m
November6:11 AM6:40 AM7:20 AM4:00 PM4:40 PM5:09 PM10h 00m
December6:39 AM7:09 AM7:52 AM3:49 PM4:32 PM5:02 PM9h 22m

Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Fallon National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
February5:01 AM – 5:11 AM0.211°SE → SE
March4:11 AM – 5:31 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:09 AM – 4:39 AM2.521°SE → S
May12:12 AM – 3:42 AM3.521°SE → S
June10:26 PM – 3:16 AM4.821°SE → SSW
July10:18 PM – 1:58 AM3.721°S → SW
August9:33 PM – 11:53 PM2.321°S → SW
September8:36 PM – 9:56 PM1.318°SSW → SW
October7:46 PM – 7:56 PM0.212°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 23% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F74738191103105110105103927867
Low °F7151922293652473521116
Precip. (in)1.01.00.60.60.60.20.20.20.10.50.71.0

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

  • 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.
  • Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Fallon National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Lovelock CaveCave
Lovelock Cave24 km away · Churchill County
Stillwater National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge26 km away · Churchill County
StillwaterGhost Town
Stillwater26 km away · Churchill County
JessupGhost Town
Jessup29 km away · Churchill County
Hot Spring
Bradys Hot Springs34 km away · Churchill County
Ghost Town
Nevada City35 km away · Churchill County
Ghost Town
White Cloud City36 km away · Churchill County
Ghost Town
Leete38 km away · Churchill County
Ghost Town
Ragtown38 km away · Churchill County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Fallon National Wildlife Refuge?
August 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 Fallon National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:40 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:16 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:42 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Fallon National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Fallon National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fallon 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 Fallon National Wildlife Refuge from Fallon?
About 34 km (21 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.