Located in Teton County, Wyoming, National Elk Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Jackson, about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) away (National Elk Refuge lies E of town).
The National Elk Refuge is a Wildlife Refuge located in Jackson Hole in the U.S. state of Wyoming. It was created in 1912 to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for one of the largest elk (also known as wapiti) herds. With a total of 24,700 acres (10,000 ha), the refuge borders the town of Jackson, Wyoming, on the southwest, Bridger-Teton National Forest on the east and Grand Teton National Park on the north. It is home to an average of 7,500 elk each winter. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior.From the Wikipedia article “National Elk Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At National Elk Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 56° NE | 9:08 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:54 AM | 122° ESE | 4:50 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 57m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 19m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 24m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 06m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:37 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 58m |
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 National Elk Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:10 AM – 4:50 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:14 AM – 3:54 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:28 PM – 3:18 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:15 PM – 1:55 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 11:58 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 9:53 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 38% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 33 | 33 | 52 | 69 | 78 | 85 | 92 | 89 | 83 | 74 | 57 | 37 |
| Low °F | -32 | -31 | -23 | -10 | 5 | 22 | 28 | 29 | 18 | -3 | -19 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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 National Elk Refuge, closest first.
Rock Formation
National Forest
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gros Ventre Campground16.8 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Trail Creek24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Mike Harris27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph National Elk Refuge?
What time is golden hour at National Elk Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at National Elk Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from National Elk Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at National Elk Refuge?
How far is National Elk Refuge from Jackson?
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.