McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Umatilla County, Oregon. The nearest town is Pendleton, about 7.4 km (4.6 mi) away (McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge lies S of town).
McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge located between plains and the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon. The refuge provides habitat for rare and endangered species and breeding and migratory birds. The lack of other local wetland habitats elevates the importance of this refuge as a home to a variety of wildlife and plant species in an arid environment. McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge, dam and reservoir are named for Dr. William C. McKay, an early pioneer in the Pendleton, Oregon, area. McKay settled near the mouth of McKay Creek in about 1851. The location was known to natives as Houtama. McKay died in 1893. Aquatic habitats serve as resting and feeding areas for wintering waterfowl, while surrounding shrub-steppe and riparian corridors provide habitat for small mammals, mule deer, songbirds, and birds of prey.From the Wikipedia article “McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At McKay Creek 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 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:07 AM | 54° NE | 8:49 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 124° SE | 4:15 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 41m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 05m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 4:50 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 4:28 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:52 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 41m |
| July | 4:45 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:41 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:47 PM | 8h 43m |
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 McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:00 AM – 4:10 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:00 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:06 PM – 1:06 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 11:11 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 9:10 PM | 0.3 | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.08 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 63 | 63 | 76 | 84 | 92 | 100 | 101 | 103 | 100 | 87 | 72 | 58 |
| Low °F | -9 | 5 | 15 | 22 | 28 | 35 | 44 | 43 | 31 | 15 | 5 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 2.8 |
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
- 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.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge from Pendleton?
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.