Historic Blakeley State Park — a state park in Baldwin County, Alabama — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.6 km (4.7 mi) N of Spanish Fort.
Historic Blakeley State Park is located on the site of the former town of Blakeley in Baldwin County, Alabama on the Tensaw River delta. The park encompasses an area once occupied by settlers in what was a thriving community on the river. Later, Confederate soldiers were garrisoned here and fought against Union forces in the last major battle of the U.S. Civil War.From the Wikipedia article “Historic Blakeley State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Historic Blakeley State Park 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) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 62° ENE | 7:58 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 117° ESE | 4:55 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 22m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 08m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 10m |
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 Historic Blakeley State Park, 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 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:22 PM – 4:22 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:35 PM – 4:05 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:32 PM – 2:42 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:43 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:40 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:42 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.22 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 | 75 | 77 | 83 | 88 | 96 | 101 | 99 | 100 | 97 | 96 | 86 | 77 |
| Low °F | 22 | 28 | 31 | 41 | 49 | 64 | 67 | 62 | 54 | 40 | 31 | 27 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Historic Blakeley State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
LighthouseScenic ViewpointLighthouseScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Historic Blakeley State Park?
What time is golden hour at Historic Blakeley State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Historic Blakeley State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Historic Blakeley State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Historic Blakeley State Park?
How far is Historic Blakeley State Park from Spanish Fort?
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.