Indian Key State Historic Site — a state park in Monroe County, Florida — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Islamorada, about 7.8 km (4.8 mi) away (Indian Key State Historic Site lies WSW of town).
Indian Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys off the Hawk Channel passage, in Monroe County, Florida, which was previously part of Miami-Dade County, Florida. In the 19th century, it was an unincorporated community, which later became an uninhabited ghost town. It is currently part of the Florida State Park system, located just a few hundred yards southeast of U.S. 1. It is frequently visited by tourists and is the subject of an archaeological project to uncover the historic building foundations. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.From the Wikipedia article “Indian Key”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Indian Key State Historic Site 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 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 89° in summer but only 42° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 270° W | 65° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:35 AM | 64° ENE | 8:16 PM | 297° WNW | 89° | 13h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 116° ESE | 5:39 PM | 245° WSW | 42° | 10h 35m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 45m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 20m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 00m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 44m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 21m |
| June | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 40m |
| July | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 32m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:28 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 01m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 35m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 56m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 36m |
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 Indian Key State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.3 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:38 AM – 6:08 AM | 2.5 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 4.0 | 36° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 5:06 AM | 5.5 | 36° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:44 PM – 5:04 AM | 7.3 | 36° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.8 | 36° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.2 | 36° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 11:35 PM | 2.8 | 33° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:13 PM – 9:33 PM | 1.3 | 24° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.31 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 81 | 82 | 84 | 84 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 88 | 86 | 84 | 81 |
| Low °F | 51 | 54 | 59 | 65 | 73 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 77 | 67 | 64 | 54 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 6.9 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 1.4 |
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.
- 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 Indian Key State Historic Site, closest first.
Beach
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseLighthouseState Park
Lighthouse
LighthouseBeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Indian Key State Historic Site?
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How far is Indian Key State Historic Site from Islamorada?
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.