Billies Bay Wilderness — a wilderness area in Lake County, Florida — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.7 km (6.0 mi) SW of Astor.
The Billies Bay Wilderness is part of Ocala National Forest. The 3,092-acre (13 km2) wilderness was established on September 28, 1984. The mostly marshy and swampy nature of the area is indicated by the word 'bay' as part of the name, since this is a Floridian term for swamp. It contributes to the headwaters of Alexander Springs Creek in the nearby Alexander Springs Wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “Billies Bay Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Billies Bay Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (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) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 63° ENE | 8:29 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 117° ESE | 5:34 PM | 244° WSW | 37° | 10h 17m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 29m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 36m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 00m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 50m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 12m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 42m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 18m |
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 Billies Bay Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° 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 | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:54 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:00 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:02 PM – 4:52 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:00 PM – 3:20 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 1:22 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:22 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 9:16 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.02 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 81 | 84 | 92 | 93 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 97 | 96 | 91 | 87 | 82 |
| Low °F | 29 | 32 | 36 | 46 | 53 | 66 | 71 | 71 | 63 | 43 | 39 | 29 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.1 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
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 wilderness area
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Billies Bay Wilderness, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
Wilderness Area
Lake
State Park
State Park
Lake
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Alexander Springs Recreation Area1.9 km (1.2 mi) · reservable
- Buck Lake Group Campground6.1 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Lake Dorr Campground10.4 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Lake Dorr Cabin12.5 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Clearwater Lake Rec Area13.1 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Billies Bay Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Billies Bay Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Billies Bay Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Billies Bay Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Billies Bay Wilderness?
How far is Billies Bay Wilderness from Astor?
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.