Washington Oaks State Gardens is a state park in Flagler County, Florida. It sits roughly 5.6 km (3.5 mi) N of Palm Coast. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is a Florida State Park located near Palm Coast, Florida, along A1A. The park is made up of 425 acres (0.664 sq mi; 1.72 km2) and is most famous for its formal gardens, but it also preserves the original habitat of a northeast Florida barrier island.From the Wikipedia article “Washington Oaks Gardens State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Washington Oaks State Gardens 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:26 AM | 62° ENE | 8:29 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 117° ESE | 5:31 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 14m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 27m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 38m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 02m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 52m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 15m |
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 Washington Oaks State Gardens, 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 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 | 4:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:55 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:52 PM – 5:02 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:44 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:01 PM – 3:21 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 1:13 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:12 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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: 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 ≈ 19.43 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 81 | 84 | 92 | 93 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 97 | 96 | 91 | 87 | 82 |
| Low °F | 29 | 32 | 36 | 46 | 53 | 66 | 71 | 71 | 63 | 43 | 39 | 29 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.1 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
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 Washington Oaks State Gardens, closest first.
Beach
State Park
State ParkState Park
State Park
Lighthouse
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Washington Oaks State Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Washington Oaks State Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Washington Oaks State Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Washington Oaks State Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Washington Oaks State Gardens?
How far is Washington Oaks State Gardens from Palm Coast?
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.