De Soto National Memorial is a National Memorial in Florida. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in De Soto
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to De Soto. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Botanical Gardens (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At De Soto 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.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 247° | 10h 35m |
| February | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:23 PM | 256° | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:40 PM | 268° | 11h 59m |
| April | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:56 PM | 282° | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 292° | 13h 30m |
| June | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 297° | 13h 52m |
| July | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:29 PM | 295° | 13h 43m |
| August | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:10 PM | 286° | 13h 08m |
| September | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 274° | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 261° | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 250° | 10h 48m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 244° | 10h 25m |
Computed for the park's reference point (27.5227, -82.6434); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From De Soto, 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 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.0 | 20° |
| March | 3:48 AM – 6:18 AM | 2.5 | 30° |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.8 | 34° |
| May | 11:51 PM – 5:11 AM | 5.3 | 34° |
| June | 10:01 PM – 5:01 AM | 7.0 | 34° |
| July | 9:59 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.5 | 34° |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:34 AM | 4.0 | 34° |
| September | 8:56 PM – 11:26 PM | 2.5 | 31° |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.2 | 22° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
6 Estimated Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos.
Weather & best time to visit
Summers avg. Temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 80-90% Late afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common usually lasting only 10-20 minutes. Winters are mild and dry with lows reaching on average 60 degrees.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
Driving Directions: From I-75 Take exit 220 SR 64/Manatee Ave, Gulf Beaches exit. Travel west on SR 64 for approximately 12 miles to 75th St. W. Turn right onto 75th St. W. travel north approximately 2 miles to the northern terminus 75th St. W. turns into De Soto Memorial Hwy and dead ends into the park.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Fishing
- Saltwater Fishing
- Living History
- Reenactments
- Historic Weapons Demonstration
- Paddling
- Kayaking
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store