Hillsborough River State Park — a state park in Hillsborough County, Florida — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.3 km (3.3 mi) NNE of Thonotosassa.
Hillsborough River State Park is located in the northeast corner of Hillsborough County, Florida near Zephyrhills (which is itself in Pasco County). It is a popular park due to its proximity to the city of Tampa. It closed in October 2024 due to damage from Hurricane Milton, and re-opened on February 24, 2025. The park consists of over 1,369 hectares or 3,383 acres, and there are more than seven miles of trails that run throughout it. Popular activities include fishing, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, camping, birding, easy to moderate hiking, trail running, and nature photography. The park has award-winning campgrounds, a restaurant, and gift shop. Canoes and bicycles can be rented at the park.From the Wikipedia article “Hillsborough River State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hillsborough River 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 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:34 AM | 63° ENE | 8:29 PM | 297° WNW | 85° | 13h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 116° ESE | 5:39 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 21m |
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 | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 33m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 13m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 50m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 32m |
| June | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 55m |
| July | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 46m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 09m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 46m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 22m |
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 Hillsborough River 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 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 | 4:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:46 AM – 6:16 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 – 4:51 AM | 6.8 | 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 | 8:54 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.5 | 30° | 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 ≈ 19.55 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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Hillsborough River State Park, closest first.
Lake
State Park
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
Lake
Lake
Botanical Garden
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hillsborough River State Park?
What time is golden hour at Hillsborough River State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hillsborough River State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hillsborough River State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hillsborough River State Park?
How far is Hillsborough River State Park from Thonotosassa?
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.