Flamingo is a ghost town in Monroe County, Florida. It lies in or next to Everglades National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Islamorada, about 38 km (24 mi) away (Flamingo lies NW of town).
Flamingo is the southernmost headquarters of Everglades National Park, in Monroe County, Florida, United States. Flamingo is one of the two end points of the 99-mile (159-km) Wilderness Waterway (with another end point at Gulf Coast Visitor Center in Everglades City), and the southern end of the only road (running 39.3 miles (63.2 km)) through the park from Florida City. It began as a small coastal settlement on the eastern end of Cape Sable on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula, facing Florida Bay. The actual town of Flamingo was located approximately 4+1⁄2 miles west of the current Flamingo campground area. All that remains of the former town are a few remnants of building foundations, and it is considered a ghost town.From the Wikipedia article “Flamingo, Florida”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Flamingo 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 | 7:35 PM | 270° W | 65° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:35 AM | 64° ENE | 8:17 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 45m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 19m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:56 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 | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 22m |
| June | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 42m |
| July | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 33m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 02m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 35m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 56m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:02 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 Flamingo, 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 ≈ 21.48 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 86 | 82 |
| Low °F | 37 | 43 | 48 | 58 | 67 | 76 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 57 | 53 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
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 ghost town
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Flamingo, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Flamingo?
What time is golden hour at Flamingo?
Where does the sun rise and set at Flamingo?
Can you see the Milky Way from Flamingo?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Flamingo?
How far is Flamingo from Islamorada?
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.