Koreshan State Historic Site — a state park in Lee County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Estero, about 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away (Koreshan State Historic Site lies WSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Koreshan State Park is a state park in Estero, Florida located on U.S. Highway 41 at Corkscrew Road. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 4, 1976, under the designation of Koreshan Unity Settlement Historic District. It contains areas of pine flatwoods habitat and the site of a religious colony, the Koreshan Unity, whose last members deeded the land to the state in 1961.From the Wikipedia article “Koreshan State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Koreshan State Historic Site 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) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:24 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 29m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 40m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:41 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 47m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 26m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 47m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 39m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 05m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 51m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 30m |
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 Koreshan State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:28 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.2 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:43 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 5:14 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.7 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 1:27 AM | 4.0 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 11:30 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:17 PM – 9:27 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.77 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 85 | 88 | 96 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 96 | 95 | 94 | 91 | 90 | 87 |
| Low °F | 24 | 29 | 34 | 41 | 54 | 68 | 71 | 69 | 62 | 40 | 39 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 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 Koreshan State Historic Site, closest first.
State Park
Beach
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
LighthouseBeach
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Koreshan State Historic Site?
What time is golden hour at Koreshan State Historic Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Koreshan State Historic Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Koreshan State Historic Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Koreshan State Historic Site?
How far is Koreshan State Historic Site from Estero?
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.