Located in Sumter County, Florida, Dade Battlefield Historic State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Bushnell, about 2.0 km (1.2 mi) away (Dade Battlefield Historic State Park lies SW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Dade Battlefield Historic State Park is a state park located on County Road 603 between Interstate 75 (Exit 314) and U.S. Route 301 in Sumter County, Florida. The 80-acre (32 ha) park includes 40 acres (160,000 m2) of pine flatwoods and a live oak hammock. Also called the Dade Massacre site, it preserves the Second Seminole War battlefield where tribal Seminole warriors and Black Seminole allies fought soldiers under the command of Major Francis L. Dade on December 28, 1835. Each year, on the weekend after Christmas (as close to the original date as possible), the Dade Battlefield Society sponsors a reenactment of the battle that started the Second Seminole War. Under the title of Dade Battlefield Historic Memorial, it is also a United States National Historic Landmark (designated as such on April 14, 1972).From the Wikipedia article “Dade Battlefield Historic State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dade Battlefield Historic State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 63° ENE | 8:30 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 117° ESE | 5:37 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 19m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 31m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 11m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 34m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 57m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 11m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 44m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 20m |
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 Dade Battlefield Historic State Park, 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 32° 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 | 4:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:54 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.5 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 1:25 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.5 | 29° | 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 ≈ 20.38 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 82 | 85 | 92 | 95 | 97 | 97 | 96 | 94 | 92 | 90 | 86 | 83 |
| Low °F | 26 | 30 | 36 | 44 | 57 | 68 | 71 | 70 | 61 | 43 | 37 | 31 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.6 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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 Dade Battlefield Historic State Park, closest first.
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
State Park
Lake
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dade Battlefield Historic State Park?
What time is golden hour at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dade Battlefield Historic State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park?
How far is Dade Battlefield Historic State Park from Bushnell?
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.