Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek — a state park in Polk County, Florida — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 12.7 km (7.9 mi) NE of Lake Wales.
Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve is a Florida State Park. It includes more than 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) of varied habitats on and adjacent to the Lake Wales Ridge in Polk County. A number of rare and threatened or endangered plants and animals are found in the park.From the Wikipedia article “Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek 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 85° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 270° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:31 AM | 63° ENE | 8:26 PM | 297° WNW | 85° | 13h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 116° ESE | 5:36 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 22m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 34m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 13m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 50m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 32m |
| June | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 54m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 45m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 09m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 46m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 23m |
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 Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:43 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:43 AM – 5:33 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:47 PM – 5:07 AM | 5.3 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:58 PM – 4:48 AM | 6.8 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:56 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.0 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 11:21 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 9:26 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.62 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 87 | 90 | 97 | 99 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 94 | 90 | 88 |
| Low °F | 24 | 28 | 34 | 41 | 54 | 66 | 70 | 68 | 62 | 38 | 37 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 8.5 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 6.7 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
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
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek?
Can you see the Milky Way from Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek?
How far is Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek from Lake Wales?
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.