Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Colfax County, New Mexico. The nearest town is Raton, about 39 km (24 mi) away (Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge lies SSW of town).
The Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge, located in the high central plains of northeastern New Mexico, was established in 1965 as a feeding and resting area for migratory birds. Over 350 acres (1.4 km2) of the refuge are planted with wheat, corn, barley, and alfalfa to provide food for resident and migratory wildlife. Visitors may see bald and golden eagles, falcons, hawks, sandhill cranes, ducks, white pelicans, burrowing owls, great horned owls, black-tailed prairie dogs, raccoons, coyotes, skunks, cougars, muskrats, badgers, bobcats, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and the occasional elk.From the Wikipedia article “Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 60° ENE | 8:21 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:07 AM | 119° ESE | 4:47 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:46 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:53 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:00 AM – 4:00 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:25 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (51%). 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 | 66 | 72 | 79 | 86 | 98 | 100 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 87 | 78 | 69 |
| Low °F | 4 | -7 | 6 | 14 | 23 | 36 | 49 | 47 | 29 | 14 | 10 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
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 Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge from Raton?
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.