Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is a state park in Baker County, Florida. The nearest town is Watertown, about 19.0 km (11.8 mi) away (Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park lies E of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is a Florida State Park in the Osceola National Forest, near the town of Olustee. The site of Florida's largest Civil War battle, the Battle of Olustee, the park is located 50 miles (80 km) west of Jacksonville and 15 miles (24 km) east of Lake City, on U.S. 90. It was one of the first parks in the Florida State Park system. The State of Florida actually owns only 3.09 acres (12,500 m2) of the Park, but manages another 688 acres (2.78 km2) of the original battlefield under a Special Use Permit from the United States Forest Service. Under the title of Olustee Battlefield, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on 12 August 1970.From the Wikipedia article “Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 62° ENE | 8:35 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 117° ESE | 5:34 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 12m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 25m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:01 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 13m |
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 Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park, 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 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 6:18 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 4:58 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:11 PM – 4:51 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 3:18 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 1:19 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 11:18 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 9:20 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.48 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 87 | 94 | 96 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 89 | 84 |
| Low °F | 17 | 20 | 23 | 34 | 48 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 52 | 32 | 24 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 7.4 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 3.4 |
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 Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park, closest first.
National Forest
Lake
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
State Park
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park?
What time is golden hour at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park?
How far is Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park from Watertown?
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.