Located in Hinds County, Mississippi, LeFleur's Bluff State Park is a state park. It lies in or next to Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Flowood, about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) away (LeFleur's Bluff State Park lies NNW of town).
LeFleur's Bluff State Park is a public recreation area located on the banks of the Pearl River off Interstate 55 within the city limits of Jackson, Mississippi. The state park is home to a 50-acre (20 ha) lake, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and the Mississippi Children's Museum.From the Wikipedia article “LeFleur's Bluff State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At LeFleur's Bluff 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) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 61° ENE | 8:11 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:59 AM | 118° ESE | 5:00 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 02m |
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 | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:12 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 49m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 16m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 03m |
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 LeFleur's Bluff State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:30 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 4:26 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:51 PM – 4:11 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:47 PM – 2:47 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:16 PM – 12:46 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:41 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:41 PM | 0.8 | 18° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.57 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% 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 | 78 | 81 | 83 | 88 | 99 | 106 | 106 | 107 | 102 | 102 | 90 | 81 |
| Low °F | 13 | 20 | 16 | 31 | 40 | 55 | 61 | 54 | 45 | 32 | 17 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.9 | 6.1 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 5.3 |
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
- 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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of LeFleur's Bluff State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph LeFleur's Bluff State Park?
What time is golden hour at LeFleur's Bluff State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at LeFleur's Bluff State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from LeFleur's Bluff State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at LeFleur's Bluff State Park?
How far is LeFleur's Bluff State Park from Flowood?
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.