Located in Liberty County, Texas, Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 25 km (16 mi) N of Liberty.
Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge was established on January 4, 1994, with an initial purchase of 4,400 acres (18 km2). Since that time, the refuge has acquired additional acreage which now totals 30,000 acres (120 km2). The primary purpose of establishing this refuge is to protect a portion of the bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem along the Trinity River located in southeastern Texas. The refuge, which is a remnant of what was once a much larger natural area is a broad flat floodplain made up of numerous sloughs, oxbow lakes, artesian wells, and tributaries.From the Wikipedia article “Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Trinity River 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 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 62° ENE | 8:25 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 117° ESE | 5:24 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 11m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 24m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 12m |
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 Trinity River 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 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 | 4:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 6:07 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:50 AM – 5:20 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:47 PM – 4:47 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 4:40 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 3:07 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 1:08 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 11:07 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 9:09 PM | 1.0 | 19° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 79 | 83 | 90 | 97 | 104 | 107 | 106 | 109 | 105 | 96 | 89 | 84 |
| Low °F | 18 | 20 | 22 | 34 | 41 | 61 | 65 | 59 | 49 | 34 | 25 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge from Liberty?
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.