Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Harrison County, Texas. It sits roughly 22 km (14 mi) ESE of Jefferson.
The Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 8,493-acre (3,437 ha) protected area of Texas managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) system. It is located along Caddo Lake in East Texas. The area that currently encompasses the refuge was highly valued in the 19th century because its loamy soil supported rich cotton plantations. During World War II, Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant was established on the site. In 1993, the importance of the wetlands surrounding Caddo Lake was recognized at the Ramsar Convention, as the area was one of 13 in the US that were deemed to be of "international significance". The NWR was authorized in 2000 to protect the bottomlands of the Harrison Bayou and to preserve the habitat for migratory birds.From the Wikipedia article “Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (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) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:10 AM | 61° ENE | 8:28 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 118° ESE | 5:15 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 00m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:52 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 17m |
| July | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 01m |
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 Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:57 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:53 AM – 5:13 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:54 PM – 4:34 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 4:19 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:05 PM – 2:55 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 12:53 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:58 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:07 PM – 8:57 PM | 0.8 | 17° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.53 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 78 | 81 | 89 | 94 | 102 | 107 | 108 | 113 | 108 | 98 | 88 | 80 |
| Low °F | 13 | 17 | 20 | 30 | 39 | 58 | 63 | 59 | 46 | 33 | 20 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge from Jefferson?
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.