Stephen C. Foster State Park is a dark sky place in Clinch County, Georgia. It sits roughly 34 km (21 mi) W of Folkston. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Okefenokee State Park (formerly Stephen C Foster State Park) is a 120-acre (49 ha) state park in the Okefenokee Swamp in Charlton County, Georgia. The park offers visitors several ways to explore the swamp's unique ecosystem. In November 2016, the park was recognized as a Dark Sky park by the International Dark Sky Association. In September 2026, Georgia Department of Natural Resources officially changed the name of the park to Okefenokee State Park. The park was previously named after Stephen Foster (1826–1864), the American songwriter who immortalized Georgia's Suwannee River in song.From the Wikipedia article “Okefenokee State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Stephen C. Foster State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:28 AM | 62° ENE | 8:36 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 117° ESE | 5:33 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 22m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 06m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 43m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 08m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:02 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 17m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 10m |
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 Stephen C. Foster State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:48 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 6:18 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 4:59 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:42 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 3:19 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 1:20 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 11:17 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:19 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.68 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 83 | 87 | 94 | 96 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 89 | 84 |
| Low °F | 17 | 20 | 23 | 34 | 48 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 52 | 32 | 24 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 7.4 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 3.4 |
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 dark sky place
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Stephen C. Foster State Park, closest first.
State Park
Wilderness Area
National Wildlife Refuge
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Stephen C. Foster State Park?
What time is golden hour at Stephen C. Foster State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Stephen C. Foster State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Stephen C. Foster State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Stephen C. Foster State Park?
How far is Stephen C. Foster State Park from Folkston?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.