Located in Franklin County, Tennessee, Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 15.1 km (9.4 mi) S of Winchester.
The Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States in Franklin County, Tennessee.From the Wikipedia article “Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:49 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 60° ENE | 8:02 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:43 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:49 AM | 119° ESE | 4:37 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:07 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 49m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:22 AM – 5:02 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:36 AM – 5:26 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 4:36 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:07 PM – 12:17 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:18 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:35 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 70 | 74 | 81 | 82 | 92 | 108 | 106 | 105 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 73 |
| Low °F | 3 | -2 | 8 | 22 | 34 | 50 | 54 | 50 | 40 | 27 | 14 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 5.4 |
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
- 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 Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Natural Arch
State Park
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge from Winchester?
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.