Located in Accomack County, Virginia, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 5.9 km (3.7 mi) ENE of Chincoteague.
The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is a 14,000-acre (57 km2) wildlife preserve operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It is primarily located on the Virginia half of Assateague Island with portions (only about 3%) located on the Maryland side of the island, as well as Morris Island and Wildcat Marsh. Mostly composed of beach, dunes, marsh, and maritime forest, the refuge contains a large variety of wildlife, including the Chincoteague pony. The purpose of the refuge is to maintain, regulate, and preserve animal and plant species as well as their habitats for present and future generations. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most-visited wildlife refuges in the country, drawing 1.5 million annual visitors via neighboring Chincoteague, with most arriving in the summer for the public beach. The refuge is also popular for the Chincoteague Island Pony Swim,...From the Wikipedia article “Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 4:58 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:06 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:21 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 2:15 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.34 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 61 | 63 | 69 | 78 | 84 | 89 | 93 | 90 | 87 | 84 | 71 | 66 |
| Low °F | 18 | 15 | 22 | 36 | 44 | 57 | 67 | 68 | 56 | 45 | 32 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
BeachBeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge from Chincoteague?
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.