Lake Istokpoga is a lake in Highlands County, Florida. It sits roughly 11.5 km (7.1 mi) NE of Lake Placid.
Lake Istokpoga is a 26,762.9-acre (108.306 km2) freshwater lake in Highlands County, Florida. It is fed by two creeks, Arbuckle Creek and Josephine Creek. The oblong-shaped lake is approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) wide by 10 miles (16 km) long. It is considered the fifth largest lake in the state of Florida. Despite its area, it is very shallow, with an average depth of only 4 feet (1.2 m). Maximum depth is 10 feet (3.0 m). As a result, boaters must be cautious to not become stranded in muck near the shore line. Bass and pontoon boats are the most commonly used watercraft, with some use of airboats. With such shallowness, this lake is extremely dangerous for boaters during windstorms, as the waves get quite high.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Istokpoga”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Istokpoga the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (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 86° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 63° ENE | 8:24 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 116° ESE | 5:36 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 25m |
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
Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:52 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 36m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 30m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 52m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 42m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 07m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 48m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 25m |
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 Lake Istokpoga, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.0 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:42 AM – 6:12 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.8 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 5:04 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 4:54 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.7 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 1:27 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 11:29 PM | 2.7 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 9:25 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.38 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 87 | 90 | 97 | 99 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 94 | 90 | 88 |
| Low °F | 24 | 28 | 34 | 41 | 54 | 66 | 70 | 68 | 62 | 38 | 37 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 8.5 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
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 lake
- A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lake Istokpoga, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Istokpoga?
What time is golden hour at Lake Istokpoga?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Istokpoga?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Istokpoga?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Istokpoga?
How far is Lake Istokpoga from Lake Placid?
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.