Osceola National Forest — a national forest in Baker County, Florida — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 19.2 km (11.9 mi) W of Macclenny.
Osceola National Forest is a National Forest located in northeast Florida. It is named in honor of the noted Seminole warrior, Osceola. The forest also has a history of Native American presence, in which they inhabited and traveled through this area. Osceola National Forest was created by President Herbert Hoover's proclamation on July 10, 1931. The forest is made up of approximately 200,000 acres (810 km2) of pine flatwoods and cypress-hardwood swamps in northeastern Florida, and is about 50 miles (80 km) west of Jacksonville. It is located in parts of Columbia, Baker, Bradford, and Hamilton counties. The forest administration headquarters are in Tallahassee, as are all three National Forests in Florida. Local ranger district offices are located in Olustee. There is one officially designated wilderness area in the forest, the 13,660 acres (55.3 km2) Big Gum Swamp Wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “Osceola National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Osceola 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) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 62° ENE | 8:35 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 117° ESE | 5:34 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 11m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 24m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 08m |
| 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 | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 12m |
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 Osceola National Forest, 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 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 | 4:49 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 6:17 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:00 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 4:57 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:10 PM – 4:50 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 3:17 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 1:18 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 11:17 PM | 2.3 | 28° | 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 ≈ 21.44 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 national forest
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Osceola National Forest, closest first.
State Park
Lake
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Osceola National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Osceola National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Osceola National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Osceola National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Osceola National Forest?
How far is Osceola National Forest from Macclenny?
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.