Fanning Springs State Park is a state park in Gilchrist County, Florida. The nearest town is Manatee Road, about 8.4 km (5.2 mi) away (Fanning Springs State Park lies NNW of town).
Fanning Springs State Park is a Florida State Park, located on US 19/98 in the town of Fanning Springs. It contains one of the state's 33 first magnitude springs. As of 2008, decreased water emission levels at the springs technically requalify the first magnitude status as "historical first magnitude." The original occupants of the land were native aborigines, "paleo-Indian people", beginning 14,000 years ago, and several of sites previously occupied by them have been located within the park. The area has been used for recreation, and in 1993 the state acquired the park. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection took over care of the park in 1997. The Nature Coast State Trail, which follows abandoned railway lines, has a junction at Fanning Springs near the state park.From the Wikipedia article “Fanning Springs State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fanning Springs 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:33 AM | 62° ENE | 8:36 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 117° ESE | 5:38 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 15m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 27m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:14 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 38m |
| June | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 02m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:01 PM | 13h 52m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 41m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 16m |
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 Fanning Springs State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 6:20 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 5:42 AM | 3.7 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 5:08 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:10 PM – 4:50 AM | 6.7 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 3:27 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 1:29 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 11:19 PM | 2.3 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 9:22 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.67 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 (60%). 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 | 83 | 88 | 95 | 97 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 99 | 96 | 94 | 88 | 84 |
| Low °F | 20 | 22 | 29 | 37 | 50 | 64 | 66 | 65 | 55 | 34 | 27 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 5.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.9 |
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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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 Fanning Springs State Park, closest first.
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State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fanning Springs State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fanning Springs State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fanning Springs State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fanning Springs State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fanning Springs State Park?
How far is Fanning Springs State Park from Manatee Road?
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.