Located in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, Woodward Park is a botanical garden. It sits roughly 3.0 km (1.9 mi) SE of Tulsa. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Woodward Park is a 45-acre (18 ha) public park, botanical garden, and arboretum located between 21st Street and 24th Street east of South Peoria Avenue and west of South Rockford Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Midwestern United States. The park, named for Helen Woodward, the original property owner, was established in 1929, after a lengthy court suit over ownership. The park was designed to provide its visitors experience with a variety of horticultural subjects. It contains a number of specialty gardens, including those featuring spring flowers, tropical plants and cacti, the Tulsa Rose Garden, the Tulsa Garden Center, and the Tulsa Arboretum. The park is particularly known for its azaleas, as well as tulips, irises, dogwoods, and redbuds. The Rose Garden (established 1935) features over 9,000 roses of over 250 varieties. The park was added to the National Register of Historic...From the Wikipedia article “Woodward Park (Tulsa)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Woodward Park 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 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:08 AM | 60° ENE | 8:45 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 119° ESE | 5:14 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:01 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:37 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 43m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Woodward Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 6:07 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 5:19 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 4:35 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:34 PM – 4:14 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:49 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 12:41 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:40 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:45 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.71 mag/arcsec².
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 (59%). 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 | 75 | 77 | 87 | 95 | 93 | 105 | 113 | 115 | 107 | 92 | 84 | 75 |
| Low °F | -9 | -1 | 6 | 23 | 34 | 50 | 56 | 53 | 44 | 22 | 16 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 6.3 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.3 |
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 botanical garden
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Woodward Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Brush Creek Public Use Area25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Tall Chief Cove25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Washington Irving South27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Appalachia Bay Recreation Area29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Woodward Park?
What time is golden hour at Woodward Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Woodward Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Woodward Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Woodward Park?
How far is Woodward Park from Tulsa?
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.