Located in Wahkiakum County, Washington, Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Clatskanie, about 23 km (14 mi) away (Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer lies NW of town).
The Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer is a wildlife refuge located in southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon, United States. It was established in 1972 specifically to protect and manage the endangered Columbian white-tailed deer. The refuge contains over 5,600 acres (23 km2) of pastures, forested tidal swamps, brushy woodlots, marshes, and sloughs along the Columbia River in both Washington and Oregon.From the Wikipedia article “Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 54° NE | 9:10 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:54 AM | 124° SE | 4:31 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 36m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 01m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 59m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 46m |
| July | 5:00 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 26m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:59 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 38m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:30 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:32 AM – 4:32 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:26 AM – 3:16 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:53 PM – 2:33 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:33 PM – 1:23 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:24 PM – 11:14 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 9:20 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.52 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). August 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 | 57 | 60 | 67 | 79 | 81 | 87 | 87 | 88 | 94 | 80 | 63 | 57 |
| Low °F | 19 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 33 | 41 | 45 | 45 | 36 | 26 | 21 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 10.8 | 6.9 | 8.4 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 11.5 | 10.9 |
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.
- 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 Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Waterfall
National Wildlife Refuge
Covered Bridge
WaterfallLighthouseWaterfallWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer?
What time is golden hour at Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer?
Where does the sun rise and set at Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer?
Can you see the Milky Way from Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer?
How far is Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer from Clatskanie?
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.