Clubhouse Beach — a beach in Monroe County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Everglades National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 46 km (29 mi) N of Marathon.
From the National Park Service
Description - Beach Site. This campsite is a sand/marl beach, backed by mangroves and coastal prairie. Mosquitoes and sandflies may be a problem year round, especially if wind is out of the north.
Access - Accessible by foot, powerboat, canoe or kayak. Site is located between Slagle and House Ditches on the southern coast. It can be reached by foot on Flamingo’s Coastal Prairie Trail, or by boat via Florida Bay. Low tide exposes mud flats, making it inaccessible by powerboat.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clubhouse Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 270° W | 65° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 64° ENE | 8:18 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 116° ESE | 5:40 PM | 244° WSW | 41° | 10h 34m |
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
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:47 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 45m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 19m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 45m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 22m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 41m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 33m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 01m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 35m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 56m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 35m |
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 Clubhouse Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 36° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:26 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:40 AM – 6:10 AM | 2.5 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 4.0 | 36° | SE → S |
| May | 11:37 PM – 5:07 AM | 5.5 | 36° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:46 PM – 4:56 AM | 7.2 | 36° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:45 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.8 | 36° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:22 PM – 1:32 AM | 4.2 | 36° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 11:26 PM | 2.7 | 33° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 9:34 PM | 1.3 | 23° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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 ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (66%). August 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 | 81 | 83 | 86 | 90 | 92 | 94 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 90 | 88 | 82 |
| Low °F | 39 | 41 | 48 | 55 | 65 | 75 | 77 | 77 | 71 | 54 | 51 | 42 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 8.4 | 7.1 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 1.8 |
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 beach
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Cape Sable, East Cape, 4.7 km (2.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Clubhouse Beach, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clubhouse Beach?
What time is golden hour at Clubhouse Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clubhouse Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clubhouse Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clubhouse Beach?
How far is Clubhouse Beach from Marathon?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.