Cabins at Cypremort Point State Park in St. Mary Parish.
  1. Home
  2. State Parks
  3. Louisiana
  4. Cypremort Point State Park
29.7382° N91.8536° WBortle 3Chicago

Cypremort Point State Park Photography Guide

State Park in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–298°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Louisiana State Parks · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, Cypremort Point State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 27 km (17 mi) SW of Jeanerette.

Cypremort Point State Park is a public recreation area located on Vermilion Bay, Louisiana near the end of La. Hwy. 319. It is named for nearby Cypremort Point. Cypremort means "dead cypress" in French. The 185-acre (0.75 km2) park, set against a backdrop of coastal marsh, contains a half-mile stretch of man-made beach which contains picnic sites, a fishing pavilion and sailboat launch. Also, there are 6 cabins on the park grounds which may be reserved by guests. Chitimacha tradition says that one of 4 markers for their tribal land was a great cypress, at present-day Cypremort Point State Park. Cypremort Point is one of the few spots on the Louisiana Gulf coastline which may be accessed by road.From the Wikipedia article “Cypremort Point State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Jeanerette
27 km (17 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
October
36% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:06 PM
sunset 6:38 PM

Light at Cypremort Point State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:13 AM
Sunset
6:33 PM
Golden hour AM
6:58 AM – 7:45 AM
Golden hour PM
6:00 PM – 6:48 PM
Blue hour AM
6:49 AM – 6:58 AM
Blue hour PM
6:48 PM – 6:57 PM
Full darkness
7:52 PM – 5:54 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:20 PM / 1:44 AM
Day length
11h 20m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Cypremort Point 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:12 AM90° E7:19 PM271° W60°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:08 AM62° ENE8:12 PM298° WNW84°14h 03m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:56 AM89° E7:05 PM271° W61°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:59 AM117° ESE5:13 PM243° WSW37°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:38 AM7:04 AM7:39 AM4:56 PM5:31 PM5:56 PM10h 27m
February6:24 AM6:48 AM7:21 AM5:24 PM5:57 PM6:21 PM11h 09m
March6:54 AM7:18 AM7:50 AM6:45 PM7:16 PM7:40 PM11h 58m
April6:17 AM6:41 AM7:13 AM7:03 PM7:35 PM7:59 PM12h 53m
May5:49 AM6:15 AM6:49 AM7:20 PM7:54 PM8:20 PM13h 38m
June5:40 AM6:07 AM6:42 AM7:35 PM8:10 PM8:37 PM14h 03m
July5:51 AM6:18 AM6:52 AM7:36 PM8:10 PM8:37 PM13h 53m
August6:11 AM6:36 AM7:09 AM7:17 PM7:50 PM8:15 PM13h 14m
September6:29 AM6:53 AM7:24 AM6:43 PM7:14 PM7:38 PM12h 21m
October6:46 AM7:10 AM7:42 AM6:06 PM6:38 PM7:02 PM11h 28m
November6:08 AM6:33 AM7:07 AM4:39 PM5:13 PM5:38 PM10h 40m
December6:30 AM6:56 AM7:32 AM4:35 PM5:11 PM5:37 PM10h 15m

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 Cypremort Point State Park, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February4:27 AM – 5:17 AM0.818°SE → SE
March3:35 AM – 5:55 AM2.328°SE → SSE
April1:37 AM – 5:07 AM3.531°SE → S
May11:34 PM – 4:44 AM5.231°SE → SSW
June9:46 PM – 4:26 AM6.731°SE → SW
July9:43 PM – 3:03 AM5.331°SSE → SW
August9:15 PM – 12:55 AM3.731°S → SW
September8:34 PM – 10:54 PM2.328°SSW → SW
October7:57 PM – 8:57 PM1.020°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—4°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.66 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F757981859196969693898377
Low °F232932415167726559453331
Precip. (in)4.24.13.44.44.46.87.27.95.54.33.44.7

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Cypremort Point State Park, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Cypremort Point State Park?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Cypremort Point State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:06 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:38 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:42 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Cypremort Point State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 62° in June to 117° in December; sunset ranges from 298° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Cypremort Point State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cypremort Point State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Cypremort Point State Park from Jeanerette?
About 27 km (17 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.