Located in Hamilton County, Tennessee, Raccoon Mountain Caverns is a cave. The nearest town is Lookout Mountain, about 6.1 km (3.8 mi) away (Raccoon Mountain Caverns lies WNW of town).
Raccoon Mountain Caverns is a cave located in Chattanooga, Tennessee in a band of Mississippian Period limestone, part of the Cumberland Plateau.From the Wikipedia article “Raccoon Mountain Caverns”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Raccoon Mountain Caverns the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:46 AM | 90° E | 7:54 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 60° ENE | 9:00 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:30 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 119° ESE | 5:34 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:27 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:15 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:32 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:23 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Raccoon Mountain Caverns, 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 6:00 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 6:24 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 4:58 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:45 PM – 4:35 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 3:10 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 1:15 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:16 PM – 11:06 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:33 PM – 9:13 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 ≈ 19.57 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 69 | 73 | 81 | 83 | 92 | 107 | 104 | 104 | 99 | 98 | 84 | 72 |
| Low °F | 2 | -5 | 13 | 22 | 33 | 47 | 53 | 51 | 39 | 26 | 12 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 5.4 |
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
- 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.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Raccoon Mountain Caverns, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Raccoon Mountain Caverns?
What time is golden hour at Raccoon Mountain Caverns?
Where does the sun rise and set at Raccoon Mountain Caverns?
Can you see the Milky Way from Raccoon Mountain Caverns?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Raccoon Mountain Caverns?
How far is Raccoon Mountain Caverns from Lookout Mountain?
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.