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25.9598° N81.3548° W5 mBortle 3New York

Gaging Station Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Collier County, Florida · 5 m (16 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 244°–297°
  • Clearest: April
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Gaging Station — a scenic viewpoint in Collier County, Florida — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 35 km (22 mi) ESE of Verona Walk.

Elevation
5 m
16 ft
Nearest town
Verona Walk
35 km (22 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
April
42% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
7.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:28 PM
sunset 6:59 PM

Light at Gaging Station

Live
Sunrise
7:28 AM
Sunset
6:54 PM
Golden hour AM
7:13 AM – 7:59 AM
Golden hour PM
6:23 PM – 7:09 PM
Blue hour AM
7:04 AM – 7:13 AM
Blue hour PM
7:09 PM – 7:18 PM
Full darkness
8:11 PM – 6:11 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:33 PM / 2:07 AM
Day length
11h 27m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. 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 Gaging Station the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 41° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:30 AM90° E7:37 PM270° W64°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:35 AM63° ENE8:21 PM297° WNW87°13h 46m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:15 AM89° E7:23 PM271° W64°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:09 AM116° ESE5:40 PM244° WSW41°10h 31m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:50 AM7:15 AM7:48 AM5:23 PM5:56 PM6:21 PM10h 41m
February6:38 AM7:02 AM7:33 AM5:48 PM6:19 PM6:43 PM11h 17m
March7:13 AM7:36 AM8:06 AM7:04 PM7:35 PM7:58 PM11h 59m
April6:39 AM7:03 AM7:34 AM7:18 PM7:49 PM8:13 PM12h 46m
May6:15 AM6:40 AM7:13 AM7:33 PM8:05 PM8:30 PM13h 25m
June6:08 AM6:34 AM7:08 AM7:46 PM8:19 PM8:45 PM13h 45m
July6:18 AM6:44 AM7:17 AM7:47 PM8:20 PM8:46 PM13h 37m
August6:35 AM6:59 AM7:30 AM7:31 PM8:03 PM8:27 PM13h 04m
September6:49 AM7:12 AM7:42 AM7:01 PM7:31 PM7:54 PM12h 19m
October7:02 AM7:25 AM7:56 AM6:28 PM6:59 PM7:22 PM11h 34m
November6:20 AM6:44 AM7:17 AM5:05 PM5:37 PM6:02 PM10h 53m
December6:40 AM7:06 AM7:40 AM5:03 PM5:37 PM6:02 PM10h 32m

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 Gaging Station, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° 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—3°—
February4:26 AM – 5:36 AM1.222°SE → SE
March3:41 AM – 6:11 AM2.531°SE → SSE
April1:38 AM – 5:38 AM4.035°SE → S
May11:40 PM – 5:10 AM5.535°SE → SSW
June9:49 PM – 4:59 AM7.235°SE → SW
July9:48 PM – 3:28 AM5.735°SSE → SW
August9:24 PM – 1:34 AM4.235°S → SW
September8:48 PM – 11:28 PM2.732°SSW → SW
October8:15 PM – 9:35 PM1.323°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-17°—

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 ≈ 21.39 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (66%). 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 °F818386909294929291908882
Low °F394148556575777771545142
Precip. (in)1.41.81.62.64.58.47.17.78.54.42.21.8

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

  • 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.
  • Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
  • 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 Gaging Station, closest first.

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State ParkState Park
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park7.6 km away · Collier County
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge22 km away · Collier County
Florida Panther National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge24 km away · Collier County
Collier-Seminole State ParkState Park
Collier-Seminole State Park25 km away · Collier County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Gaging Station?
April 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. Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
What time is golden hour at Gaging Station?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:28 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:59 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:56 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Gaging Station?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 63° in June to 116° in December; sunset ranges from 297° to 244°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Gaging Station?
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 Gaging Station?
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 Gaging Station from Verona Walk?
About 35 km (22 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.