Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Colorado County, Texas. It sits roughly 9.8 km (6.1 mi) NE of Eagle Lake.
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is a federally protected refugium encompassing one of the largest remnants of coastal prairie habitat remaining in southeast Texas, United States, and home to one of the last populations of critically endangered Attwater's prairie chickens, a ground-dwelling grouse of the coastal prairie ecosystem. The 10,528-acre (43-km2) refuge, located in eastern Colorado County, about 60 miles (100 km) west of Houston, Texas, was established in 1972, and is one of a handful of national wildlife refuges managed specifically for an endangered species. In 1968, Attwater Prairie Chicken Preserve was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. In the mid-1960s, the World Wildlife Fund purchased 3,500 acres (14 km2) of land to preserve some remaining coastal prairie for Attwater's prairie chicken. The land was transferred to...From the Wikipedia article “Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:26 AM | 62° ENE | 8:29 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 117° ESE | 5:31 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 14m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 27m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 38m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 02m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 52m |
| August | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 15m |
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 Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:55 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:52 PM – 5:02 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:44 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:01 PM – 3:21 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 1:13 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:12 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.19 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). August 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 | 81 | 87 | 92 | 97 | 102 | 110 | 107 | 110 | 105 | 97 | 89 | 84 |
| Low °F | 19 | 19 | 24 | 34 | 44 | 63 | 66 | 64 | 52 | 37 | 26 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.0 |
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 Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge from Eagle Lake?
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.