Located in Natrona County, Wyoming, Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Casper, about 69 km (43 mi) away (Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge lies SW of town).
Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of Wyoming and includes 16,807 acres (68 km2). The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, both agencies within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The refuge is divided into four sections adjacent to Pathfinder Reservoir and includes three campgrounds and three boat ramps. It is located in southern Natrona and northern Carbon counties. Pathfinder NWR is managed from the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge which is located in Colorado. The reservoir is used by numerous migratory bird species. The Pronghorn is commonly found on the refuge. Located 20 miles southwest of Alcova, Wyoming via Wyoming Highway 220.From the Wikipedia article “Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 57° ENE | 8:49 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 122° ESE | 4:39 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 17m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:17 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 05m |
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 Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:52 AM – 3:42 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:03 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:52 PM – 1:52 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 11:49 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 9:46 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 52 | 55 | 69 | 77 | 88 | 94 | 96 | 94 | 91 | 79 | 65 | 51 |
| Low °F | -22 | -30 | -7 | 2 | 11 | 26 | 41 | 37 | 17 | -5 | -9 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
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 Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge from Casper?
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.