Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4 — a cave in Tishomingo County, Mississippi — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Natchez Trace Parkway, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Belmont, about 16.0 km (9.9 mi) away (Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4 lies NNE of town).
From the National Park Service
Cave Spring is a short paved trail down stairs to the mouth of the cave. The cave cannot be entered. A viewpoint is provided for those who cannot negotiate the steps.
The Paleo hunters who used the Bear Creek Mound site probably used this water source. A collapsed underground limestone cavern formed this cave. A short easy paved trail takes you to its mouth. Although this was an important water source for thousands of years, for safety reasons the NPS guards against drinking this water or entering the cave.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4 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) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 61° ENE | 8:09 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:57 AM | 118° ESE | 4:46 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:44 PM – 8:24 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.66 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 73 | 75 | 83 | 87 | 97 | 109 | 106 | 110 | 102 | 103 | 89 | 76 |
| Low °F | 5 | 12 | 17 | 25 | 39 | 52 | 57 | 53 | 42 | 28 | 18 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 5.7 |
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 cave
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. 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 25 km of Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4, closest first.
State Park
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Mountain PeakScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Paden Picnic Shelter11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Holcut Picnic Shelter16.7 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Piney Grove Beach Picnic Shelter18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Piney Grove18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Piney Grove Picnic Area Shelters19.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Cave Spring, Milepost 308.4?
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Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.