Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Elko County, Nevada. The nearest town is Spring Creek, about 59 km (37 mi) away (Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge lies S of town).
The Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in southwestern Elko County and adjacent northwestern White Pine County in the remote Great Basin area of the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the Western United States. Established in 1938, near the end of the Great Depression of the 1930s, under the presidential administration of 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945, served 1933-1945), as of 2023 it encompasses 39,928 acres (161.58 km2) of wetlands in Ruby Valley, just east of the Ruby Mountains and just south of Harrison Pass. It is 16 miles (26 km) long, up to 3 miles (4.8 km) in width, and lies at an elevation of 6,000 feet (1,800 m). Once the bed of an ancient 200-foot (61 m) deep lake, it is now a network of spring-fed marshes and shallow ponds serving as a habitat for hundreds of species of native and migratory birds and mammals.From the Wikipedia article “Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ruby Lake 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 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:46 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 58° ENE | 8:16 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:02 AM | 121° ESE | 4:20 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
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 | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:36 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 24m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 15h 01m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:09 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:41 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 20m |
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 Ruby Lake 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 5:20 AM | 1.2 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:18 AM | 2.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:03 AM – 3:33 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:18 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 1:39 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:23 PM – 11:43 PM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 9:35 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 7:34 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 62 | 64 | 73 | 81 | 92 | 98 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 83 | 70 | 54 |
| Low °F | -18 | -6 | -1 | 15 | 19 | 27 | 42 | 40 | 26 | 8 | -8 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 |
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
- 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 Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Cave
Ghost Town
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge from Spring Creek?
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.