South End of Cayo Costa State Park, Florida.
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26.6719° N82.2469° WBortle 4New York

Cayo Costa State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Lee County, Florida

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 244°–297°
  • Clearest: May
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrea_pauline/ · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Located in Lee County, Florida, Cayo Costa State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 9.5 km (5.9 mi) WSW of Bokeelia.

Cayo Costa State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Florida, on Cayo Costa (formerly known as La Costa Island or Padilla Rancho), an island directly south of Boca Grande (Gasparilla Island) and just north of North Captiva Island, approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Cape Coral. The park is accessible only by charter boat (with or without captain), private boat, or ferry.From the Wikipedia article “Cayo Costa State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Bokeelia
9.5 km (5.9 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
May
41% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
7.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:31 PM
sunset 7:02 PM

Light at Cayo Costa State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:32 AM
Sunset
6:57 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:03 AM
Golden hour PM
6:26 PM – 7:12 PM
Blue hour AM
7:08 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
7:12 PM – 7:21 PM
Full darkness
8:15 PM – 6:15 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:37 PM / 2:09 AM
Day length
11h 25m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Cayo Costa 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 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:34 AM90° E7:41 PM270° W63°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:37 AM63° ENE8:26 PM297° WNW87°13h 49m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:18 AM89° E7:27 PM271° W64°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:14 AM116° ESE5:42 PM244° WSW40°10h 28m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:55 AM7:20 AM7:53 AM5:25 PM5:58 PM6:23 PM10h 39m
February6:42 AM7:06 AM7:38 AM5:50 PM6:22 PM6:46 PM11h 16m
March7:16 AM7:39 AM8:10 AM7:08 PM7:38 PM8:01 PM11h 59m
April6:42 AM7:06 AM7:37 AM7:22 PM7:53 PM8:17 PM12h 47m
May6:17 AM6:43 AM7:15 AM7:37 PM8:10 PM8:35 PM13h 27m
June6:10 AM6:36 AM7:10 AM7:51 PM8:24 PM8:51 PM13h 48m
July6:20 AM6:46 AM7:19 AM7:52 PM8:25 PM8:51 PM13h 40m
August6:37 AM7:02 AM7:33 AM7:36 PM8:07 PM8:31 PM13h 05m
September6:52 AM7:15 AM7:46 AM7:04 PM7:35 PM7:58 PM12h 20m
October7:06 AM7:29 AM8:00 AM6:31 PM7:02 PM7:25 PM11h 33m
November6:25 AM6:49 AM7:22 AM5:07 PM5:40 PM6:04 PM10h 51m
December6:45 AM7:11 AM7:45 AM5:05 PM5:39 PM6:05 PM10h 29m

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 Cayo Costa 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 34° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February4:40 AM – 5:40 AM1.021°SE → SE
March3:45 AM – 6:15 AM2.531°SE → SSE
April1:44 AM – 5:44 AM4.034°SE → S
May11:46 PM – 5:06 AM5.334°SE → SSW
June9:56 PM – 4:56 AM7.034°SE → SW
July9:55 PM – 3:35 AM5.734°SSE → SW
August9:30 PM – 1:30 AM4.034°S → SW
September8:53 PM – 11:33 PM2.731°SSW → SW
October8:19 PM – 9:29 PM1.222°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-17°—

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 ≈ 21.1 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 41% 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F767678838690899089888478
Low °F424650586874787974605450
Precip. (in)2.32.32.02.23.67.26.67.97.93.52.22.5

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

  • 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.
  • Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
  • Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Cayo Costa State Park, closest first.

National Wildlife Refuge
Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge2.3 km away · Lee County
Boca Grande LighthouseLighthouse
Boca Grande Lighthouse5.2 km away · Lee County
Gasparilla Island State ParkState Park
Gasparilla Island State Park7.0 km away · Lee County
Gasperilla Island LighthouseLighthouse
Gasperilla Island Lighthouse8.0 km away · Lee County
National Wildlife Refuge
Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge12 km away · Lee County
Charlotte Harbor LightLighthouse
Charlotte Harbor Light16 km away · Lee County
National Wildlife Refuge
Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge21 km away · Lee County
Don Pedro Island State ParkState Park
Don Pedro Island State Park23 km away · Charlotte County
Stump Pass Beach State ParkState Park
Stump Pass Beach State Park27 km away · Charlotte County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Cayo Costa State Park?
May has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Cayo Costa State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:31 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:02 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:00 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Cayo Costa State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 63° in June to 116° in December; sunset ranges from 297° to 244°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Cayo Costa State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cayo Costa State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Cayo Costa State Park from Bokeelia?
About 9.5 km (5.9 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.