Lake Claiborne State Park — a state park in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 14.7 km (9.1 mi) ESE of Homer.
Lake Claiborne State Park is a recreation site located in Claiborne Parish, northwestern Louisiana, USA. It was opened in 1974 and is 643 acres (2.60 km2) in size. The park provides access to scenic Lake Claiborne, a 6,400-acre (26 km2) man-made water body formed by damming Bayou D'Arbonne. Guests may stay at 10 cabins and 89 campsites (67 improved, 20 premium, 2 unimproved) on the Park grounds. Boats and canoes are available to rent. There is a large swimming beach, boat launch, Nature Center and numerous interpretive programs. The entrance to Lake Claiborne State Park is located 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Homer on Louisiana Highway 146. The park was designed by the late architect Hugh G. Parker, Jr., of Bastrop, Louisiana.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Claiborne State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Claiborne State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:05 AM | 61° ENE | 8:23 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 118° ESE | 5:10 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 00m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:36 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 01m |
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 Lake Claiborne State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:52 AM – 5:52 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:48 AM – 5:08 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:49 PM – 4:29 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:14 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:00 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:48 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:53 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:52 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.73 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 77 | 81 | 86 | 92 | 108 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 105 | 100 | 89 | 81 |
| Low °F | 13 | 19 | 20 | 32 | 38 | 58 | 60 | 54 | 45 | 32 | 19 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 5.4 |
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
- 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 Lake Claiborne State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Claiborne State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Claiborne State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Claiborne State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Claiborne State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Claiborne State Park?
How far is Lake Claiborne State Park from Homer?
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.