John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park — a state park in Monroe County, Florida — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Key Largo, about 5.7 km (3.5 mi) away (John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park lies NE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is a Florida State Park located on Key Largo in Florida. It includes around 70 square nautical miles (240 km2; 93 sq mi) of adjacent Atlantic Ocean waters. The park is roughly 25 miles (40 km) long and extends 3 miles (4.8 km) into the Atlantic Ocean along the prominent Hawk Channel passage. It was the first underwater park in the United States. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 1972. The primary attractions of the park are the coral reefs (such as Molasses Reef) and their associated marine life. In 2004, the park had more than a million visitors, making it the most popular park in the Florida State Parks system. The Florida Keys and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, near the Texas Gulf Coast, are the only living coral reef formations in the continental United States.From the Wikipedia article “John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park 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 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 270° W | 65° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:33 AM | 64° ENE | 8:15 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 116° ESE | 5:38 PM | 244° WSW | 41° | 10h 34m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 45m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 19m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 45m |
| May | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 22m |
| June | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 41m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 33m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 01m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 35m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:35 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 56m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 35m |
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 Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:37 AM – 6:07 AM | 2.5 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 4.0 | 36° | SE → S |
| May | 11:35 PM – 5:05 AM | 5.5 | 36° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:43 PM – 5:03 AM | 7.3 | 36° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.8 | 36° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:19 PM – 1:29 AM | 4.2 | 36° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 11:34 PM | 2.8 | 33° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 9:32 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.7 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 83 | 86 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 86 | 82 |
| Low °F | 37 | 43 | 48 | 58 | 67 | 76 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 57 | 53 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
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 John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, closest first.
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National Wildlife Refuge
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park?
What time is golden hour at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park?
How far is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park from Key Largo?
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.