Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Marion County, Oregon — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Jefferson, about 8.9 km (5.5 mi) away (Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge lies NW of town).
Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge is located in the fertile Willamette Valley of northwestern Oregon, 12 miles (19 km) south of Salem. The valley was once a rich mix of wildlife habitats. Valley wetlands were once extensive, with meandering stream channels and vast seasonal marshes. Today, the valley is a mix of farmland and growing cities, with few areas remaining for wildlife.From the Wikipedia article “Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 55° NE | 9:03 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 123° ESE | 4:35 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 47m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 11m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:11 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:12 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 34m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 15m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:07 PM | 8h 49m |
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 Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:12 AM – 3:32 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:31 PM – 2:51 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:15 PM – 1:35 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:34 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:35 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.44 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August 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 | 61 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 89 | 94 | 80 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 19 | 23 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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
- 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.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
Lake
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge from Jefferson?
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.