Fort Matanzas National Monument is a National Monument in Florida. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Fort Matanzas 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:48 PM | 246° | 10h 27m |
| February | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:15 PM | 256° | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:36 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 268° | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 282° | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 293° | 13h 38m |
| June | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 298° | 14h 03m |
| July | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 296° | 13h 52m |
| August | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 287° | 13h 14m |
| September | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:32 PM | 274° | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:56 PM | 261° | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:31 PM | 249° | 10h 40m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:28 PM | 244° | 10h 15m |
Computed for the park's reference point (29.7121, -81.2357); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Fort Matanzas, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.3 | 28° |
| April | 1:55 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.5 | 31° |
| May | 11:52 PM – 5:02 AM | 5.2 | 31° |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:44 AM | 6.7 | 31° |
| July | 10:01 PM – 3:21 AM | 5.3 | 31° |
| August | 9:33 PM – 1:13 AM | 3.7 | 31° |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:12 PM | 2.3 | 28° |
| October | 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM | 1.0 | 20° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
Summers are hot and humid with afternoon thundershowers. Sunscreen, a hat, UV protective sunglasses, and are recommended. Drink plenty of water. Winters are cool to mild with some cold spells, especially with wind from the north or off the water. Fall and spring are temperate with temperatures around 70F-80F (21C-26C). During danger of lightning, the fort will be closed and ferry service will be suspended. June-November is hurricane season so check for tropical storms before visiting.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 (%)
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.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Timed Entry Reservation - Location | $0.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Fort Matanzas is 14 miles south of Saint Augustine on State Route A1A.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Fishing
- Saltwater Fishing
- Living History
- Reenactments
- Historic Weapons Demonstration
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
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