Located in Hillsborough County, Florida, Alafia River State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Boyette, about 8.7 km (5.4 mi) away (Alafia River State Park lies ESE of town).
Alafia River State Park is a Florida State Park, located near Picnic in Hillsborough County in central Florida, 17 miles or 27 kilometers southeast of Tampa on County Road 39. Even before it became a park, the area, and particularly Hurrah Lake, was the center of leisure activities since the early 1880s.From the Wikipedia article “Alafia River State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alafia River State Park 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 270° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:34 AM | 63° ENE | 8:28 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 116° ESE | 5:39 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 23m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 34m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 13m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:18 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 31m |
| June | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 53m |
| July | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 44m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 08m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 47m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 24m |
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 Alafia River State Park, 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 33° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:40 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:46 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:49 PM – 5:09 AM | 5.3 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 5:00 AM | 7.0 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:58 PM – 3:28 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 1:32 AM | 4.0 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:29 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.17 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 81 | 84 | 89 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 89 | 86 | 83 |
| Low °F | 30 | 35 | 40 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 65 | 47 | 42 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 7.3 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
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 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Alafia River State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
State Park
Beach
Lake
Lake
Botanical Garden
Lake
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alafia River State Park?
What time is golden hour at Alafia River State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alafia River State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alafia River State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alafia River State Park?
How far is Alafia River State Park from Boyette?
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.