Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a state park in Marion County, Florida. It sits roughly 5.3 km (3.3 mi) SE of Silver Springs.
The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway or Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway State Recreation and Conservation Area is a protected green belt corridor, more than one and a half miles (2.4 km) wide in places, that was the former route of the proposed Cross Florida Barge Canal. It is named for the leader of the opposition to the Cross Florida Barge Canal, Marjorie Harris Carr, and was originally a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers canal project to connect the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean across Florida for barge traffic. With a budget repeatedly funded and defunded, starting in 1933, only two sections were built by 1971 when the project was ultimately cancelled due to local opposition related to protecting the state's water supply and conservation of the Ocklawaha River Valley ecosystem, as well as national opposition for the costs being perceived as "government...From the Wikipedia article “Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:30 AM | 63° ENE | 8:31 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 117° ESE | 5:35 PM | 244° WSW | 37° | 10h 16m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 29m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 36m |
| June | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 00m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 50m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 12m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 42m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 17m |
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 Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:57 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.7 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:05 PM – 4:45 AM | 6.7 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 3:22 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 1:25 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:18 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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 ≈ 20.29 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 83 | 88 | 95 | 97 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 99 | 96 | 94 | 88 | 84 |
| Low °F | 20 | 22 | 29 | 37 | 50 | 64 | 66 | 65 | 55 | 34 | 27 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 5.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.9 |
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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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 Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, closest first.
State Park
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Beach
LakeBeach
Ghost Town
Wilderness Area
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fore Lake Campground13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Lake Shore Group Camp13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Lake Eaton Campground16.5 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Mill Dam Group Camp18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Doe Lake Group Site25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway?
What time is golden hour at Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway?
Where does the sun rise and set at Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway?
Can you see the Milky Way from Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway?
How far is Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway from Silver Springs?
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.