Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: USFWS
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36.5833° N76.4500° WBortle 4New York

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

National Wildlife Refuge in City of Chesapeake, Virginia

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: November
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region · CC BY 2.0 · source

Located in City of Chesapeake, Virginia, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is South Suffolk, about 19.4 km (12.1 mi) away (Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge lies SE of town).

The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the United States. It is located in parts of the independent cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk in Virginia, and the counties of Camden, Gates, and Pasquotank in North Carolina.From the Wikipedia article “Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
South Suffolk
19.4 km (12.1 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
November
47% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:56 PM
sunset 6:31 PM

Light at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:18 AM
Sunset
6:24 PM
Golden hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:54 AM
Golden hour PM
5:49 PM – 6:40 PM
Blue hour AM
6:52 AM – 7:02 AM
Blue hour PM
6:40 PM – 6:51 PM
Full darkness
7:51 PM – 5:53 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:28 PM / 1:27 AM
Day length
11h 06m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:10 AM90° E7:18 PM271° W53°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:48 AM60° ENE8:28 PM301° WNW77°14h 40m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:54 AM89° E7:04 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:15 AM119° ESE4:54 PM241° WSW30°9h 39m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:50 AM7:18 AM7:57 AM4:35 PM5:14 PM5:42 PM9h 56m
February6:28 AM6:55 AM7:31 AM5:11 PM5:47 PM6:13 PM10h 52m
March6:52 AM7:18 AM7:52 AM6:39 PM7:13 PM7:39 PM11h 56m
April6:06 AM6:33 AM7:07 AM7:05 PM7:40 PM8:07 PM13h 07m
May5:31 AM6:00 AM6:36 AM7:30 PM8:06 PM8:35 PM14h 07m
June5:17 AM5:48 AM6:26 AM7:48 PM8:27 PM8:57 PM14h 39m
July5:30 AM6:00 AM6:37 AM7:47 PM8:25 PM8:55 PM14h 25m
August5:57 AM6:24 AM6:59 AM7:23 PM7:58 PM8:26 PM13h 34m
September6:23 AM6:49 AM7:23 AM6:41 PM7:15 PM7:41 PM12h 26m
October6:48 AM7:14 AM7:48 AM5:56 PM6:31 PM6:57 PM11h 17m
November6:17 AM6:44 AM7:22 AM4:21 PM4:58 PM5:26 PM10h 14m
December6:43 AM7:11 AM7:52 AM4:12 PM4:52 PM5:21 PM9h 41m

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 Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:54 AM – 5:24 AM0.514°SE → SE
March4:10 AM – 5:50 AM1.721°SE → SSE
April2:01 AM – 4:51 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:08 AM – 4:08 AM4.025°SE → SSW
June10:17 PM – 3:47 AM5.525°SE → SW
July10:12 PM – 2:32 AM4.325°SSE → SW
August9:34 PM – 12:24 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:42 PM – 10:22 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October7:57 PM – 8:27 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 20.52 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F71748085959910110196947975
Low °F11619294153615952382519
Precip. (in)2.83.13.43.53.84.55.15.45.43.63.23.5

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Lake DrummondLake
Lake Drummond2.8 km away · City of Chesapeake · 5 m
Dismal Swamp State ParkState Park
Dismal Swamp State Park8.4 km away · Camden County
Chesapeake ArboretumBotanical Garden
Chesapeake Arboretum26 km away · City of Chesapeake
Merchants Millpond State ParkState Park
Merchants Millpond State Park27 km away · Gates County
Nansemond National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Nansemond National Wildlife Refuge27 km away · City of Suffolk
Lambert Point LightLighthouse
Lambert Point Light34 km away · City of Portsmouth
Craney Island LightLighthouse
Craney Island Light36 km away · City of Norfolk
Nansemond River LightLighthouse
Nansemond River Light37 km away · City of Suffolk

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
November has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
What time is golden hour at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:56 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:31 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:48 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge from South Suffolk?
About 19.4 km (12.1 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.