Lake Louisa State Park — a state park in Lake County, Florida — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.3 km (5.8 mi) S of Clermont.
Lake Louisa State Park is a 4,372-acre (17.69 km2) Florida State Park located south of Clermont, in the northeast corner of the Green Swamp and the southwestern shore of Lake Louisa. It is made up of bald cypress, live oak, and saw palmettos. In addition to Lake Louisa, the park contains Hammond Lake, Dixie Lake, Dude Lake, and Bear Lake, along with several smaller lakes. Two small streams, Big Creek and Little Creek, flow north from the Green Swamp through the park into Lake Louisa. Lake Louisa is the source of the Palatlakaha River, one of the headwaters of the Ocklawaha River. The main entrance to the park is on U.S. 27 7 miles (11 km) south of State Road 50. An entrance on the western side of the park, off County Route 561 on Lake Nellie Road, gives access only to the horse trails.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Louisa State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Louisa State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (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) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:31 AM | 63° ENE | 8:28 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 117° ESE | 5:36 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 20m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 32m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 12m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:09 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 34m |
| June | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 57m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 47m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 10m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 44m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 21m |
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 Lake Louisa 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 | 4:37 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:54 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:00 AM | 5.2 | 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 | 9:32 PM – 1:22 AM | 3.8 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:23 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:17 PM – 9:27 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 ≈ 20.15 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 (61%). 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 | 86 | 89 | 96 | 98 | 101 | 102 | 99 | 99 | 94 | 93 | 89 | 87 |
| Low °F | 23 | 26 | 33 | 40 | 53 | 66 | 67 | 69 | 60 | 37 | 36 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 8.3 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 2.3 |
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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Lake Louisa State Park, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Louisa State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Louisa State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Louisa State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Louisa State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Louisa State Park?
How far is Lake Louisa State Park from Clermont?
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.