Savannah National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Jasper County, South Carolina — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Port Wentworth, about 6.7 km (4.2 mi) away (Savannah National Wildlife Refuge lies NE of town).
The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is a 31,551-acre (12,768 ha) National Wildlife Refuge located in Chatham and Effingham counties in Georgia and Jasper County in South Carolina. Of the total area, 15,395 acres (6,230 ha) is in Georgia and 15,263 acres (6,177 ha) is in South Carolina. The refuge was established to provide sanctuary for migratory waterfowl and other birds and as a nature and forest preserve for aesthetic and conservation purposes. The refuge is one of seven refuges administered by the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex in Hardeeville, South Carolina. The complex has a combined staff of 25 with a fiscal year 2018 budget of roughly $3,000,000.From the Wikipedia article “Savannah National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Savannah National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 62° ENE | 8:35 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 118° ESE | 5:24 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 02m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 03m |
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 Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 6:04 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 5:19 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 4:49 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 4:34 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:10 PM – 3:10 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 1:09 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:04 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 9:04 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 20.2 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 83 | 84 | 89 | 97 | 105 | 109 | 106 | 107 | 102 | 101 | 89 | 82 |
| Low °F | 16 | 20 | 22 | 33 | 47 | 58 | 63 | 62 | 51 | 32 | 21 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 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
- 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 Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Lighthouse
Ghost Town
Lighthouse
National Wildlife RefugeLighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Savannah National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Savannah National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Savannah National Wildlife Refuge from Port Wentworth?
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.