Skyway Fishing Pier State Park is a state park in Pinellas County, Florida. The nearest town is Tierra Verde, about 4.7 km (2.9 mi) away (Skyway Fishing Pier State Park lies ESE of town).
Skyway Fishing Pier State Park is a Florida State Park located on the north and south sides of the mouth of Tampa Bay. When the original cantilevered Sunshine Skyway Bridge, carrying US 19 (I-275 was not signed on the Skyway until the new bridge opened in 1987), partially collapsed in 1980, due to the collision of a freighter on one of its pilings, it was replaced by the current bridges. The approaches to the old bridge, however, were left in place and converted into the longest fishing pier in the world. The most common activity on the pier is fishing. Common catches include snook, tarpon, grouper, black sea bass, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, cobia, sheepshead, Mangrove Snapper, grunts, sharks, Goliath Grouper, Lane Snapper, flounder, and many more. Other pier activities include sightseeing, photography, kiteboarding, kayaking, and wind surfing. Snacks, drinks, bait, and...From the Wikipedia article “Skyway Fishing Pier State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Skyway Fishing Pier 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) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 270° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:30 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 23m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 35m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:20 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 31m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 53m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 44m |
| August | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 08m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 47m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 24m |
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 Skyway Fishing Pier 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 33° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:48 AM – 6:18 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:51 PM – 5:11 AM | 5.3 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:02 PM – 5:02 AM | 7.0 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:00 PM – 3:30 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:34 AM | 4.0 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 11:26 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:31 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: 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 ≈ 19.34 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 Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
BeachBeach
Lighthouse
LighthouseState Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Skyway Fishing Pier State Park?
What time is golden hour at Skyway Fishing Pier State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Skyway Fishing Pier State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Skyway Fishing Pier State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Skyway Fishing Pier State Park?
How far is Skyway Fishing Pier State Park from Tierra Verde?
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.