Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Klamath County, Oregon. The nearest town is Klamath Falls, about 38 km (24 mi) away (Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge lies NW of town).
The Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge in southwestern Klamath County on the shores of Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon. It was established in 1928 and contains some 14,400 acres (5,800 ha) of freshwater marshes. It is accessible only by boat from Rocky Point Resort and Rocky Point boat launch, Malone springs, and a few neighboring ramps. The refuge is part of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex and is administered along with the other refuges of the complex from common offices in Tulelake, California.From the Wikipedia article “Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 57° ENE | 8:50 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 122° ESE | 4:39 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 17m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:17 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 05m |
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 Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:52 AM – 3:42 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:03 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:51 PM – 1:51 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 11:49 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 9:45 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 69 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
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.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- 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 Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
LakeMountain Peak
Lake
Wilderness Area
Lake
Wilderness Area
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fourmile Lake Campground17.6 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Aspen Point (Lake Of The Woods, Or)19.6 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
- Sunset - Lake Of The Woods (Or)19.8 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
- Rainbow Bay19.9 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Fish Lake Campground - Rogue River26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge from Klamath Falls?
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.