Nestucca Bay NWR in Oregon
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45.1725° N123.9470° WBortle 3Los Angeles

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Tillamook County, Oregon

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–306°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug
Photo: USFWS Headquarters' photostream · Public domain · source

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Tillamook County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.5 km (2.2 mi) SSE of Pacific City.

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge on Oregon's coast. It lies in southern Tillamook County, on the state's northern coast. It is one of six National Wildlife Refuges comprising the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex and supports one tenth of the world's dusky Canada goose population. The refuge contains at least seven types of habitat, including tidal marsh, tidal mudflats, grassland, woodland, pasture, forested lagg—a transition between raised peat bog and mineral soil—and freshwater bogs, including the southernmost coastal Sphagnum bog habitat on the Pacific Coast. The Sphagnum bog provides habitat for many interesting and unusual species, such as the insect-eating sundew plant and the bog cranberry. Scientists have discovered many layers of sand and peat under Neskowin Marsh indicating a long history of tsunami activity which...From the Wikipedia article “Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Pacific City
3.5 km (2.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
39% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:52 PM
sunset 6:32 PM

Light at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:39 AM
Sunset
6:24 PM
Golden hour AM
7:21 AM – 8:20 AM
Golden hour PM
5:43 PM – 6:42 PM
Blue hour AM
7:09 AM – 7:21 AM
Blue hour PM
6:42 PM – 6:53 PM
Full darkness
8:02 PM – 6:02 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:56 PM / 1:26 AM
Day length
10h 45m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. 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 Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:20 AM89° E7:28 PM271° W45°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:29 AM55° NE9:08 PM306° NW68°15h 38m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:04 AM89° E7:15 PM271° W45°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:52 AM124° ESE4:37 PM237° WSW21°8h 45m

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
January7:19 AM7:52 AM8:38 AM4:13 PM5:00 PM5:33 PM9h 08m
February6:48 AM7:18 AM7:59 AM5:02 PM5:44 PM6:14 PM10h 26m
March7:00 AM7:29 AM8:08 AM6:43 PM7:22 PM7:51 PM11h 53m
April6:01 AM6:31 AM7:11 AM7:22 PM8:01 PM8:32 PM13h 30m
May5:13 AM5:47 AM6:30 AM7:56 PM8:39 PM9:13 PM14h 52m
June4:51 AM5:29 AM6:14 AM8:20 PM9:06 PM9:43 PM15h 37m
July5:07 AM5:43 AM6:28 AM8:17 PM9:01 PM9:37 PM15h 18m
August5:46 AM6:18 AM6:59 AM7:44 PM8:24 PM8:56 PM14h 06m
September6:26 AM6:55 AM7:34 AM6:50 PM7:29 PM7:58 PM12h 33m
October7:03 AM7:32 AM8:12 AM5:52 PM6:32 PM7:02 PM11h 00m
November6:43 AM7:15 AM8:00 AM4:03 PM4:48 PM5:20 PM9h 33m
December7:15 AM7:49 AM8:38 AM3:46 PM4:35 PM5:09 PM8h 46m

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 Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
March5:21 AM – 5:41 AM0.312°SSE → SSE
April3:20 AM – 4:40 AM1.315°SSE → S
May1:19 AM – 3:29 AM2.216°SSE → S
June11:41 PM – 2:51 AM3.216°SSE → SSW
July11:24 PM – 1:34 AM2.216°S → SSW
August10:20 PM – 11:30 PM1.215°SSW → SSW
September9:10 PM – 9:30 PM0.312°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.62 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 39% 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F575966778380869287796457
Low °F192027313442474839312416
Precip. (in)10.37.27.95.13.02.00.60.82.66.110.511.4

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 Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Bob Straub State ParkState Park
Bob Straub State Park1.8 km away · Tillamook County
Cape Kiwanda State Natural AreaState Park
Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area5.3 km away · Tillamook County
Natural Arch
Haystack Rock Arch5.4 km away · Tillamook County
Neskowin Beach State Recreation SiteState Park
Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site8.4 km away · Tillamook County
Natural Arch
Two Arches8.4 km away · Tillamook County
Waterfall
Chitwood Falls12 km away · Tillamook County · 223 m
Waterfall
Gunaldo Falls16 km away · Yamhill County · 176 m
H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic CorridorState Park
H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor18 km away · Tillamook County
Roads End State Recreation SiteState Park
Roads End State Recreation Site19 km away · Lincoln County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
July 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 Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:52 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:32 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:12 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 55° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Nestucca Bay 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 Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge from Pacific City?
About 3.5 km (2.2 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.