Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park — a state park in Monroe County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is North Key Largo, about 11.2 km (7.0 mi) away (Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park lies SSW of town).
The Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park is a Florida State Park, located in the center of Key Largo in the Florida Keys, on County Road 905, one-quarter mile north of its intersection with the Overseas Highway (US 1).From the Wikipedia article “Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (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 88° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 270° W | 65° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:33 AM | 64° ENE | 8:15 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 116° ESE | 5:37 PM | 244° WSW | 41° | 10h 34m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 44m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 19m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 45m |
| May | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 22m |
| June | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 42m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 34m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 02m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 35m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:35 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 55m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 35m |
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 Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 36° 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 | 4:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:37 AM – 6:07 AM | 2.5 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 4.0 | 36° | SE → S |
| May | 11:34 PM – 5:04 AM | 5.5 | 36° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:43 PM – 4:53 AM | 7.2 | 36° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.8 | 36° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:19 PM – 1:29 AM | 4.2 | 36° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 11:23 PM | 2.7 | 33° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.3 | 23° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 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 ≈ 21.02 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 83 | 86 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 86 | 82 |
| Low °F | 37 | 43 | 48 | 58 | 67 | 76 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 57 | 53 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
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 Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, closest first.
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park?
What time is golden hour at Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park?
How far is Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park from North Key Largo?
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.