Oscar Scherer State Park is a state park in Sarasota County, Florida. The nearest town is Osprey, about 3.4 km (2.1 mi) away (Oscar Scherer State Park lies SE of town).
Oscar Scherer State Park is a Florida State Park located between Sarasota and Venice, near Osprey. The address is 1843 South Tamiami Trail. It receives more than 250,000 visitors a year. The park is home to habitat for various plants and animals including birds such as the Florida scrub jay, bald eagles, and butterflies. It has areas for cycling, hiking, and paddle craft boating.From the Wikipedia article “Oscar Scherer State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oscar Scherer State Park 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 86° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:37 AM | 63° ENE | 8:28 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 25m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 37m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 15m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:18 PM | 12h 48m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 29m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 51m |
| July | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 42m |
| August | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 07m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:36 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 49m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 26m |
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 Oscar Scherer State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | 4:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.0 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 6:17 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.8 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:49 PM – 5:09 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 4:59 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.7 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 1:32 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:34 PM | 2.7 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 9:30 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.46 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 84 | 89 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 89 | 86 | 83 |
| Low °F | 30 | 35 | 40 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 65 | 47 | 42 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 7.3 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Oscar Scherer State Park, closest first.
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State Park
Botanical GardenBeach
Botanical Garden
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oscar Scherer State Park?
What time is golden hour at Oscar Scherer State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oscar Scherer State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oscar Scherer State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oscar Scherer State Park?
How far is Oscar Scherer State Park from Osprey?
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.