Wekiwa Springs State Park is a state park in Orange County, Florida. The nearest town is Mount Plymouth, about 5.3 km (3.3 mi) away (Wekiwa Springs State Park lies SE of town).
Wekiwa Springs State Park is a 7,000-acre (28 km2) Florida State Park in Apopka, Florida. It is located 20 minutes north of Orlando, off Interstate 4 at exit 94, near Altamonte Springs and Longwood. The park also contains the head water of the Wekiva River. It also serves as the headquarters of one of the state's five AmeriCorps Florida State Parks chapters. Although the springs are spelled Wekiwa Springs, the river and most subdivisions and streets in Seminole County use the Wekiva spelling. Wekiwa is the Creek word for a spring, but contrary to popular belief that Wekiva means "flowing water", it was actually an alternate spelling used by developers.From the Wikipedia article “Wekiwa Springs State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wekiwa Springs State Park 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 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 117° ESE | 5:34 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 18m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 30m |
| 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 | 7:37 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:11 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 | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 11m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 43m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 19m |
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 Wekiwa Springs State Park, 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 5 (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 | 4:36 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.75 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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Wekiwa Springs State Park, closest first.
State Park
Lake
Lake
Lake
Lake
State Park
State Park
Botanical Garden
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Clearwater Lake Rec Area24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Lake Dorr Cabin27 km (16 mi) · reservable
- River Forest Group Site29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wekiwa Springs State Park?
What time is golden hour at Wekiwa Springs State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wekiwa Springs State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wekiwa Springs State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wekiwa Springs State Park?
How far is Wekiwa Springs State Park from Mount Plymouth?
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.