Erie National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The nearest town is Cochranton, about 13.9 km (8.6 mi) away (Erie National Wildlife Refuge lies NNE of town).
The Erie National Wildlife Refuge is an 8,777-acre (3,552 ha) National Wildlife Refuge located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Named after the Erie tribe, it was established to provide waterfowl and other migratory birds with nesting, feeding, brooding, and resting habitat. The refuge consists of two separate land divisions. The 5,206-acre (2,107 ha) Sugar Lake Division is closest to Guys Mills, Pennsylvania and is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) east of Meadville. The Seneca Division, consisting of 3,571 acres (1,445 ha), is 10 miles (16 km) north of the Sugar Lake Division and borders French Creek near Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. The Erie National Wildlife Refuge was designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society because of the diversity of habitat it provides to the approximate 237 species of birds attracted to the refuge.From the Wikipedia article “Erie National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Erie National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 57° ENE | 8:58 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 121° ESE | 4:53 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
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 | 7:45 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 30m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 11m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 54m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 11m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Erie National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:50 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:08 PM – 3:28 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:58 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:08 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 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 September as the clearest month (about 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (84%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 60 | 67 | 76 | 79 | 86 | 91 | 95 | 97 | 94 | 87 | 73 | 66 |
| Low °F | -13 | -13 | -2 | 16 | 23 | 36 | 44 | 44 | 36 | 22 | 2 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- 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 Erie National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Lake
Ghost Town
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Woodcock Lake Park11.8 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Woodcock Creek Lake Park & Campground12.4 km (7.7 mi)
- Overlook Recreation Area13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Erie National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Erie National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Erie National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Erie National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Erie National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Erie National Wildlife Refuge from Cochranton?
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.