Rock Springs Run State Reserve is a state park in Seminole County, Florida. The nearest town is Wekiwa Springs, about 3.0 km (1.9 mi) away (Rock Springs Run State Reserve lies NW of town).
Rock Springs Run State Reserve is a 14,000-acre (5,700 ha) State Park in the U.S. state of Florida. The main entrance is located about 30 miles (48 km) north of Orlando in Sorrento, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the Wekiva River bridge on State Road 46 and extends into Orange and Seminole Counties to the south. The park contains a number of Indian mounds, pine flatwoods, swamps and artesian springs, and a number of creeks and rivers. Among them are Seminole Creek, Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and the Wekiva River. Activities include bicycling, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, hunting and wildlife viewing. Among the wildlife of the park are Florida black bear, Florida scrub jay, sandhill crane, indigo snake, gopher tortoise. Amenities include a canoe and kayak launch, rentals, swimming, tubing, about 17 miles (27 km) of trails, access to the Rock Springs Run and the...From the Wikipedia article “Rock Springs Run State Reserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rock Springs Run State Reserve 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) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 63° ENE | 8:28 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 117° ESE | 5:34 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 19m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 31m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 11m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 35m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 58m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 11m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 44m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 20m |
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 Rock Springs Run State Reserve, 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 32° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:00 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:01 PM – 4:51 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:59 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.5 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 1:22 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:22 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 9:26 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: 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 ≈ 18.79 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.
- 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 Rock Springs Run State Reserve, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rock Springs Run State Reserve?
What time is golden hour at Rock Springs Run State Reserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rock Springs Run State Reserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rock Springs Run State Reserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rock Springs Run State Reserve?
How far is Rock Springs Run State Reserve from Wekiwa 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.