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34.9765° N83.6540° W1,210 mBortle 3New York

Cut-off Gap Photography Guide

Mountain Pass in Towns County, Georgia · 1,210 m (3,970 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Cut-off Gap — a mountain pass in Towns County, Georgia at about 1,210 m (3,970 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Young Harris, about 18.2 km (11.3 mi) away (Cut-off Gap lies ENE of town).

Elevation
1,210 m
3,970 ft
Nearest town
Young Harris
18.2 km (11.3 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
October
44% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:27 PM
sunset 7:01 PM

Light at Cut-off Gap

Live
Sunrise
7:45 AM
Sunset
6:55 PM
Golden hour AM
7:30 AM – 8:20 AM
Golden hour PM
6:20 PM – 7:11 PM
Blue hour AM
7:20 AM – 7:30 AM
Blue hour PM
7:11 PM – 7:20 PM
Full darkness
8:19 PM – 6:22 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:54 PM / 2:01 AM
Day length
11h 10m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
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 Cut-off Gap 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:39 AM90° E7:47 PM271° W55°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:22 AM60° ENE8:52 PM300° WNW78°14h 31m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:23 AM89° E7:33 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:39 AM119° ESE5:27 PM242° WSW32°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

Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:15 AM7:43 AM8:21 AM5:09 PM5:46 PM6:14 PM10h 04m
February6:56 AM7:22 AM7:57 AM5:43 PM6:18 PM6:44 PM10h 56m
March7:21 AM7:46 AM8:20 AM7:09 PM7:43 PM8:08 PM11h 56m
April6:37 AM7:03 AM7:37 AM7:33 PM8:07 PM8:33 PM13h 04m
May6:04 AM6:32 AM7:08 AM7:56 PM8:32 PM9:00 PM14h 00m
June5:51 AM6:21 AM6:58 AM8:13 PM8:51 PM9:20 PM14h 30m
July6:04 AM6:33 AM7:09 AM8:13 PM8:50 PM9:19 PM14h 17m
August6:29 AM6:55 AM7:30 AM7:50 PM8:25 PM8:51 PM13h 29m
September6:53 AM7:18 AM7:52 AM7:10 PM7:43 PM8:09 PM12h 25m
October7:16 AM7:41 AM8:15 AM6:27 PM7:01 PM7:27 PM11h 20m
November6:43 AM7:10 AM7:47 AM4:54 PM5:30 PM5:57 PM10h 20m
December7:08 AM7:36 AM8:15 AM4:46 PM5:25 PM5:53 PM9h 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 Cut-off Gap, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:13 AM – 5:53 AM0.715°SE → SE
March4:27 AM – 6:17 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April2:27 AM – 5:27 AM3.026°SE → S
May12:31 AM – 4:51 AM4.326°SE → SSW
June10:38 PM – 4:28 AM5.826°SE → SW
July10:33 PM – 3:03 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August9:58 PM – 1:08 AM3.226°S → SW
September9:09 PM – 10:59 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October8:26 PM – 9:06 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.67 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 (59%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F72758186921081071031001008474
Low °F3720223449555440271812
Precip. (in)4.55.14.74.44.44.84.94.54.34.14.45.7

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 mountain pass

  • Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
  • Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
  • Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
  • Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Warm layers, Road-condition app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Cut-off Gap, closest first.

Mountain Pass
Sassafras Gap0.5 km away · Towns County · 1,176 m
Mountain Pass
Lemons Gap1.3 km away · Towns County · 1,132 m
Mountain Pass
Skut Gap2.0 km away · Towns County · 1,132 m
Mountain Pass
Eller Gap2.4 km away · Towns County · 1,080 m
Mountain Pass
Tom Gap2.6 km away · Towns County · 1,289 m
Mountain Pass
Egypt Gap2.6 km away · Towns County · 1,116 m
Mountain Pass
Hickorynut Gap3.2 km away · Towns County · 927 m
Hightower BaldMountain Peak
Hightower Bald3.2 km away · Towns County · 1,338 m
Mountain Pass
Hightower Gap4.5 km away · Towns County · 1,092 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Cut-off Gap?
October 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. Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.
What time is golden hour at Cut-off Gap?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:27 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:01 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:15 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Cut-off Gap?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Cut-off Gap?
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 Cut-off Gap?
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 Cut-off Gap from Young Harris?
About 18.2 km (11.3 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.