Choctawhatchee National Forest — a national forest in Okaloosa County, Florida — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.3 km (5.2 mi) NNW of Valparaiso.
Choctawhatchee National Forest is a United States National Forest established by President Theodore Roosevelt on November 27, 1908. The supervisory headquarters was established at DeFuniak Springs and moved to Pensacola in September 1910. It remained there until 1936 when it was relocated to Tallahassee. The Choctawhatchee's two districts (Easy Bay-Camp Pinchot and Niceville) were separated by what is now State Road 85.From the Wikipedia article “Choctawhatchee National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Choctawhatchee National Forest 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) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 62° ENE | 7:52 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:40 AM | 117° ESE | 4:50 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 10m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:35 PM | 5:59 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 07m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 56m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:48 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:48 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 11m |
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 Choctawhatchee National Forest, 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 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:15 PM – 4:15 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:28 PM – 3:58 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:25 PM – 2:35 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:56 PM – 12:36 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:14 PM – 10:34 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:36 PM – 8:36 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.78 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 76 | 78 | 83 | 89 | 97 | 101 | 99 | 100 | 99 | 97 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 21 | 26 | 29 | 40 | 49 | 64 | 66 | 64 | 53 | 38 | 28 | 27 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 5.3 |
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 national forest
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Choctawhatchee National Forest, closest first.
National Forest
State Park
Beach
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Beach
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Choctawhatchee National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Choctawhatchee National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Choctawhatchee National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Choctawhatchee National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Choctawhatchee National Forest?
How far is Choctawhatchee National Forest from Valparaiso?
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.