Located in Juab County, Utah, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 113 km (70 mi) SW of Grantsville.
Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is at the southern end of the Great Salt Lake Desert, part of the Great Basin in Juab County, Utah, United States. The Refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. As an oasis in the Great Basin Desert in western Utah, Fish Springs serves a variety of species including fish, migratory birds, deer, coyotes, pronghorn, cougars and other native species. The reserve can be reached by paved road from Lynndyl to Topaz Mountain and then by improved dirt road to the Pony Express Road/Lincoln Highway improved dirt road which runs through the Refuge. The Refuge also is a recreational area for permitted outdoor activities. The Fish Springs Range runs north to south and is immediately west of the Wildlife Refuge. Fish Springs started as a Pony Express and Overland Stage station, and got its name from the fish that populated the springs,...From the Wikipedia article “Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 58° ENE | 9:06 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:52 AM | 121° ESE | 5:13 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:37 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:34 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:21 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 22m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:40 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:50 AM – 6:10 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:48 AM – 5:18 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 4:21 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:55 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 12:32 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 10:35 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:25 PM – 8:35 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 65 | 65 | 77 | 85 | 94 | 101 | 104 | 102 | 98 | 86 | 73 | 62 |
| Low °F | -5 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 32 | 47 | 44 | 30 | 16 | 6 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
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 Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge from Grantsville?
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.