Carrabelle Lookout Tower is a scenic viewpoint in Franklin County, Florida. It sits roughly 2.1 km (1.3 mi) E of Carrabelle.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Carrabelle Lookout Tower 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:39 AM | 62° ENE | 8:43 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:28 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 117° ESE | 5:44 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:21 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:48 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:30 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 03m |
| July | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:08 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 7:00 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 14m |
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 Carrabelle Lookout Tower, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 6:27 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 5:16 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:18 PM – 4:58 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 1:27 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 11:26 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:29 PM – 9:29 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.85 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 71 | 75 | 78 | 84 | 89 | 90 | 90 | 89 | 86 | 79 | 73 |
| Low °F | 34 | 40 | 42 | 53 | 60 | 71 | 78 | 78 | 69 | 55 | 46 | 40 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 8.4 | 8.6 | 9.6 | 5.9 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 4.5 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Carrabelle Lookout Tower, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Sand Dunes
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Fire Lookout
Beach
State ParkScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Carrabelle Lookout Tower?
What time is golden hour at Carrabelle Lookout Tower?
Where does the sun rise and set at Carrabelle Lookout Tower?
Can you see the Milky Way from Carrabelle Lookout Tower?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Carrabelle Lookout Tower?
How far is Carrabelle Lookout Tower from Carrabelle?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.