Located in Leon County, Florida, DeSoto Site Historic State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Tallahassee, about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) away (DeSoto Site Historic State Park lies ESE of town).
The Hernando de Soto Winter Encampment is an archaeological site located in Tallahassee, Florida. It consists of 5 acres (20,000 m2) of land near Apalachee Parkway, including the residence of former Governor John W. Martin. The site is intended to initiate research and education on nearly four centuries of recorded history beginning with Hernando de Soto's use of the site as a winter encampment in 1539. There is an exhibit of items found at the site in the Governor Martin House. A 1998 historical marker at the site reads:From the Wikipedia article “De Soto Winter Encampment Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At DeSoto Site Historic State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 62° ENE | 8:43 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 117° ESE | 5:41 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 11m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 24m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:20 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:10 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:30 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 06m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:09 PM | 13h 56m |
| August | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:16 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 12m |
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 DeSoto Site Historic State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:57 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:06 AM – 6:26 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:19 PM – 4:49 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 1:27 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:27 PM – 9:27 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.64 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 81 | 86 | 89 | 96 | 103 | 109 | 110 | 107 | 104 | 100 | 89 | 85 |
| Low °F | 18 | 21 | 22 | 35 | 44 | 60 | 61 | 61 | 49 | 32 | 21 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 4.5 |
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 DeSoto Site Historic State Park, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph DeSoto Site Historic State Park?
What time is golden hour at DeSoto Site Historic State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at DeSoto Site Historic State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from DeSoto Site Historic State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at DeSoto Site Historic State Park?
How far is DeSoto Site Historic State Park from Tallahassee?
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.