Located in Palm Beach County, Florida, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is a state park. The nearest town is North Palm Beach, about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away (John D. MacArthur Beach State Park lies ENE of town).
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, named for John D. MacArthur whose Foundation donated a portion of the land for its construction in the 1970s, is located on and just north of Singer Island, Florida in North Palm Beach, Florida. It is the only state park in Palm Beach County. The park was first opened to the public in 1989. It covers 438 acres (1.8 km2) on land and underwater, including an estuary crossed by a 1,600-foot (490 m) boardwalk, and Munyon Island (named after James Munyon), a wilderness isle in the Intracoastal Waterway that was home to the lavish Hygeia Hotel at the turn of the twentieth century. The hotel burned to the ground in 1917. Hiking trails and pavilions are open for public use on Munyon Island, which is accessible only by kayak or boat. One section of the park was popularly known as Air Force Beach from the early 1940s until the renaming of the park because it...From the Wikipedia article “John D. MacArthur Beach State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At John D. MacArthur Beach 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 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:28 AM | 63° ENE | 8:18 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 116° ESE | 5:33 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 27m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 38m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 48m |
| May | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 28m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 49m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 40m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 06m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 50m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 28m |
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 John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.0 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:36 AM – 6:06 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 4.0 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:37 PM – 4:57 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 4:47 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:46 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.7 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:21 PM – 1:21 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.7 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 9:20 PM | 1.2 | 22° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.11 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 41% 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 | 85 | 87 | 94 | 95 | 98 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89 | 86 |
| Low °F | 28 | 33 | 36 | 49 | 57 | 69 | 73 | 73 | 67 | 46 | 42 | 31 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 7.8 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph John D. MacArthur Beach State Park?
What time is golden hour at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from John D. MacArthur Beach State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park?
How far is John D. MacArthur Beach State Park from North Palm Beach?
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.