St. Marks Light — a lighthouse in Wakulla County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It is part of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. It sits roughly 22 km (14 mi) ESE of Crawfordville. Its recorded tower height is about 22 m (72 ft). It dates from 1831. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The St. Marks Light is the second-oldest light station in Florida, United States. It is located on the east side of the mouth of the St. Marks River, on Apalachee Bay.From the Wikipedia article “St. Marks Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At St. Marks Light 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) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:37 AM | 62° ENE | 8:42 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 117° ESE | 5:42 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 12m |
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
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 25m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:29 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:07 PM | 13h 54m |
| August | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 13m |
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 St. Marks Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 6:25 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:08 AM – 5:38 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 5:05 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:17 PM – 4:57 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 1:26 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:27 PM – 9:27 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.7 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 81 | 86 | 89 | 96 | 103 | 109 | 110 | 107 | 104 | 100 | 89 | 85 |
| Low °F | 18 | 21 | 22 | 35 | 44 | 60 | 61 | 61 | 49 | 32 | 21 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 4.5 |
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 lighthouse
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is ST. MARKS RIVER ENTRANCE, 559 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of St. Marks Light, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph St. Marks Light?
What time is golden hour at St. Marks Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at St. Marks Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from St. Marks Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at St. Marks Light?
How far is St. Marks Light from Crawfordville?
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.