Located in Walton County, Florida, Shoal River Headwaters State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 10.5 km (6.5 mi) NW of DeFuniak Springs.
Shoal River Headwaters State Park is a Florida state park in Walton County, Florida, United States, west of DeFuniak Springs. The park protects part of the headwaters of the Shoal River, which crosses its northwestern corner, along with Gum Creek, a tributary that runs along the park's northern side. It lies within the Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape and serves as buffer land for nearby Eglin Air Force Base, supporting military readiness while linking with other conservation lands to form connected wildlife corridors. Its sandhill, flatwoods, slope forest, and floodplain communities provide habitat for rare and imperiled species, including the gopher tortoise and the eastern indigo snake.From the Wikipedia article “Shoal River Headwaters State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Shoal River Headwaters 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) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 62° ENE | 7:52 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:43 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:39 AM | 117° ESE | 4:48 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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 | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 22m |
| February | 6:02 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 08m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 17m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:16 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:47 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:12 PM | 10h 10m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Shoal River Headwaters State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | 4:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:17 AM – 4:47 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:15 PM – 4:15 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:28 PM – 3:58 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:25 PM – 2:35 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:56 PM – 12:36 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:13 PM – 10:33 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:35 PM – 8:35 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 ≈ 21.57 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 76 | 78 | 83 | 89 | 97 | 101 | 99 | 100 | 99 | 97 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 21 | 26 | 29 | 40 | 49 | 64 | 66 | 64 | 53 | 38 | 28 | 27 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 5.3 |
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
- 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 Shoal River Headwaters State Park, closest first.
Natural Arch
Cave
Mountain Peak
State Park
State Park
National ForestFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Shoal River Headwaters State Park?
What time is golden hour at Shoal River Headwaters State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Shoal River Headwaters State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Shoal River Headwaters State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Shoal River Headwaters State Park?
How far is Shoal River Headwaters State Park from DeFuniak 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.