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35.4418° N95.0169° WBortle 3Chicago

Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Haskell County, Oklahoma

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Haskell County, Oklahoma — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.6 km (4.7 mi) SW of Vian.

Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1970 to provide habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds and to provide food and cover for resident wildlife. It contains 20,800 acres (8,400 ha) on the western edge of Robert S. Kerr Reservoir in three Oklahoma Counties: Muskogee, Haskell and Sequoyah. The refuge was named in honor of Sequoyah, a Cherokee who developed an alphabet for the Cherokee language.From the Wikipedia article “Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Vian
7.6 km (4.7 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
41% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:12 PM
sunset 6:46 PM

Light at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:31 AM
Sunset
6:40 PM
Golden hour AM
7:15 AM – 8:06 AM
Golden hour PM
6:05 PM – 6:56 PM
Blue hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:15 AM
Blue hour PM
6:56 PM – 7:06 PM
Full darkness
8:05 PM – 6:07 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:42 PM / 1:47 AM
Day length
11h 08m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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 Sequoyah 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:25 AM90° E7:32 PM271° W54°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:06 AM60° ENE8:39 PM300° WNW78°14h 33m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:09 AM89° E7:19 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:26 AM119° ESE5:12 PM242° WSW31°9h 46m

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
January7:02 AM7:29 AM8:07 AM4:53 PM5:31 PM5:59 PM10h 02m
February6:42 AM7:08 AM7:43 AM5:27 PM6:03 PM6:29 PM10h 55m
March7:06 AM7:32 AM8:05 AM6:54 PM7:28 PM7:53 PM11h 56m
April6:22 AM6:48 AM7:22 AM7:19 PM7:53 PM8:19 PM13h 05m
May5:48 AM6:16 AM6:53 AM7:42 PM8:18 PM8:46 PM14h 02m
June5:35 AM6:05 AM6:43 AM8:00 PM8:38 PM9:07 PM14h 32m
July5:48 AM6:17 AM6:54 AM7:59 PM8:36 PM9:06 PM14h 19m
August6:13 AM6:40 AM7:15 AM7:36 PM8:11 PM8:38 PM13h 30m
September6:38 AM7:04 AM7:37 AM6:55 PM7:29 PM7:54 PM12h 25m
October7:01 AM7:27 AM8:01 AM6:12 PM6:46 PM7:12 PM11h 19m
November6:29 AM6:56 AM7:33 AM4:38 PM5:15 PM5:42 PM10h 19m
December6:54 AM7:23 AM8:02 AM4:30 PM5:09 PM5:38 PM9h 47m

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 Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:08 AM – 5:38 AM0.515°SE → SE
March4:13 AM – 6:03 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April2:13 AM – 5:13 AM3.025°SE → S
May12:18 AM – 4:28 AM4.226°SE → SSW
June10:26 PM – 4:16 AM5.826°SE → SW
July10:21 PM – 2:51 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August9:44 PM – 12:44 AM3.025°S → SW
September8:55 PM – 10:45 PM1.822°SSW → SW
October8:11 PM – 8:41 PM0.515°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.67 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F76819095100107111116107948477
Low °F141226355260554524174
Precip. (in)2.32.83.64.86.04.33.63.83.84.32.62.9

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 Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Waterfall
Webbers Falls (historical)4.0 km away · Sequoyah County · 140 m
Greenleaf State ParkState Park
Greenleaf State Park25 km away · Muskogee County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge?
September 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 Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:12 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:46 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:01 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sequoyah 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 Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge from Vian?
About 7.6 km (4.7 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.