Located in Richland County, North Dakota, Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Wahpeton, about 35 km (22 mi) away (Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge lies SW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Elsie 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 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 54° NE | 9:23 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:08 AM | 124° SE | 4:46 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 38m |
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 | 7:33 AM | 8:07 AM | 8:54 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 57m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:35 PM | 9:21 PM | 10:00 PM | 15h 44m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:16 PM | 9:53 PM | 15h 24m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:26 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:13 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 28m |
| December | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 8:54 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:18 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 1 (excellent dark-sky 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 | 5:44 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:35 AM – 4:45 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:37 AM – 3:37 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:03 AM – 2:53 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:44 PM – 1:34 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:37 PM – 11:37 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:24 PM – 9:34 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 46 | 57 | 79 | 89 | 93 | 99 | 108 | 103 | 96 | 88 | 70 | 49 |
| Low °F | -48 | -31 | -27 | 3 | 23 | 38 | 45 | 39 | 28 | 6 | -7 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Lake Elsie National Wildlife Refuge from Wahpeton?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.