Montgomery — a ghost town in Morgan County, Tennessee at about 315 m (1,033 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Obed Wild & Scenic River, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Coalfield, about 19.8 km (12.3 mi) away (Montgomery lies WNW of town).
Montgomery was a town in Morgan County, Tennessee. The town served as the county seat of Morgan County from 1818 to 1870. It was originally located 13 miles west of Wartburg. In 1832, due to the formation of Fentress County, the town was rebuilt about 1.5 miles west of Wartburg. In 1870, the town property in Montgomery was sold and the county seat was moved to Wartburg.From the Wikipedia article “Montgomery, Morgan County, Tennessee”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Montgomery 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:22 AM | 60° ENE | 8:59 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 119° ESE | 5:28 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:16 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:25 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:19 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 43m |
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 Montgomery, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | 5:26 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 6:21 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 5:32 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 4:48 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:47 PM – 4:27 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:41 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 1:04 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 11:04 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:29 PM – 8:59 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.58 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 72 | 82 | 83 | 91 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 83 | 72 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 3 | 21 | 30 | 43 | 51 | 49 | 37 | 24 | 10 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.9 |
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 ghost town
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. 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 Montgomery, closest first.
Waterfall
Dark Sky Place
State ParkWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Montgomery?
What time is golden hour at Montgomery?
Where does the sun rise and set at Montgomery?
Can you see the Milky Way from Montgomery?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Montgomery?
How far is Montgomery from Coalfield?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.