Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park — a state park in Hillsborough County, Florida — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Ruskin, about 10.4 km (6.5 mi) away (Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park lies WSW of town).
Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park is a Florida state park in Hillsborough County, comprising a series of barrier and river islands at the mouth of the Little Manatee River on the southeastern shore of Tampa Bay, near Ruskin. The 615 acres (249 ha) preserve is accessible by water and is surrounded by the Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve. Florida acquired the land for the park in 1997 under the Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) program using Preservation 2000 funds. It was initially managed by the Florida Coastal Office before management was transferred to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Recreation and Parks in 2003. On July 1, 2004, the land was officially established as a state park. Within the Florida State Park system, this park is classified as a state preserve, a designation that prioritizes protection of natural conditions over recreational...From the Wikipedia article “Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cockroach Bay Preserve 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) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 270° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:29 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 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 | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 35m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 31m |
| June | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 53m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 44m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 08m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 47m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:04 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 Cockroach Bay Preserve 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 | 4:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 6:17 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:10 AM | 5.3 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:01 PM – 5:01 AM | 7.0 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:59 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 1:33 AM | 4.0 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 9:30 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 ≈ 19.94 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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park, closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
Beach
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Botanical Garden
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park?
What time is golden hour at Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park?
How far is Cockroach Bay Preserve State Park from Ruskin?
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.