Fort Macon State Park is a state park in Carteret County, North Carolina. The nearest town is Beaufort, about 3.6 km (2.2 mi) away (Fort Macon State Park lies SW of town).
Fort Macon State Park is a North Carolina state park in Carteret County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach, the park opened in 1936. Fort Macon State Park is the second most visited state park in North Carolina, with an annual visitation of 1.3 million, despite being one of the smallest state parks in North Carolina with 424 acres (1.72 km2). Fort Macon was built as part of the Third System of US fortifications, and was preceded by Fort Hampton of the Second System. The Battle of Fort Macon was fought there during March and April 1862. In addition to the fully restored fort, the park offers visitors both soundside and surf fishing, nature trails, ranger guided tours, a protected swim area, a refreshment stand, and a bathhouse. The park is open year-round, but during the non-summer months the protected swimming area, refreshment stand,...From the Wikipedia article “Fort Macon State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Macon 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 61° ENE | 8:24 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 118° ESE | 5:00 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Fort Macon State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:45 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:02 AM – 4:22 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:59 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:29 PM – 12:39 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:31 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:38 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.27 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 73 | 71 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 86 | 87 | 86 | 83 | 79 | 74 |
| Low °F | 28 | 28 | 37 | 46 | 54 | 67 | 73 | 72 | 64 | 50 | 43 | 31 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Fort Macon State Park, closest first.
BeachBeachBeach
LighthouseBeach
Wilderness AreaWilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Oyster Point Campground9.8 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
- South Core Banks -- Beach Camping26 km (16 mi)
- Great Island Cabin Camp26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Macon State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fort Macon State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Macon State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Macon State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Macon State Park?
How far is Fort Macon State Park from Beaufort?
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.