Dick Creek Gap, TN: Photography Guide, Golden Hour & Milky Way

Located in Unicoi County, Tennessee, Dick Creek Gap is a mountain pass at about 1,003 m (3,291 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 5.3 km (3.3 mi) S of Unicoi.

Elevation

1,003 m

3,291 ft

Nearest town

Unicoi

5.3 km (3.3 mi)

Sky darkness

Bortle 4

Rural / suburban transition

Clearest month

September

50% cloud

Milky Way peak

June

5.7 h window

Golden hour (Oct)

6:20 PM

sunset 6:55 PM

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Dick Creek 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Date	Sunrise	Azimuth	Sunset	Azimuth	Noon sun	Daylight
March equinox (Mar 20)	7:34 AM	90° E	7:41 PM	271° W	54°	12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)	6:13 AM	60° ENE	8:51 PM	300° WNW	77°	14h 37m
September equinox (Sep 22)	7:18 AM	89° E	7:28 PM	271° W	54°	12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)	7:37 AM	119° ESE	5:19 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

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

Month (15th)	Blue hour starts	Sunrise	Golden hour ends	Golden hour starts	Sunset	Blue hour ends	Daylight
January	7:12 AM	7:40 AM	8:19 AM	5:00 PM	5:38 PM	6:06 PM	9h 58m
February	6:52 AM	7:18 AM	7:53 AM	5:35 PM	6:11 PM	6:37 PM	10h 53m
March	7:16 AM	7:41 AM	8:15 AM	7:03 PM	7:37 PM	8:03 PM	11h 56m
April	6:30 AM	6:57 AM	7:31 AM	7:29 PM	8:03 PM	8:30 PM	13h 06m
May	5:56 AM	6:24 AM	7:01 AM	7:53 PM	8:29 PM	8:58 PM	14h 05m
June	5:42 AM	6:13 AM	6:51 AM	8:11 PM	8:49 PM	9:19 PM	14h 36m
July	5:55 AM	6:24 AM	7:02 AM	8:10 PM	8:47 PM	9:17 PM	14h 23m
August	6:21 AM	6:48 AM	7:24 AM	7:46 PM	8:21 PM	8:48 PM	13h 33m
September	6:47 AM	7:13 AM	7:46 AM	7:05 PM	7:38 PM	8:04 PM	12h 26m
October	7:11 AM	7:37 AM	8:11 AM	6:20 PM	6:55 PM	7:21 PM	11h 18m
November	6:40 AM	7:07 AM	7:44 AM	4:45 PM	5:23 PM	5:50 PM	10h 16m
December	7:05 AM	7:34 AM	8:14 AM	4:37 PM	5:17 PM	5:45 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 Dick Creek Gap, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

Month	Core visible (15th)	Hours	Max altitude	Direction
January	Below 10° in darkness	—	0°	—
February	5:17 AM – 5:47 AM	0.5	14°	SE → SE
March	4:32 AM – 6:12 AM	1.7	22°	SE → SSE
April	2:24 AM – 5:24 AM	3.0	25°	SE → S
May	12:30 AM – 4:40 AM	4.2	25°	SE → SSW
June	10:39 PM – 4:19 AM	5.7	25°	SE → SW
July	10:34 PM – 2:54 AM	4.3	25°	SSE → SW
August	9:56 PM – 12:46 AM	2.8	25°	S → SW
September	9:05 PM – 10:45 PM	1.7	22°	SSW → SW
October	8:20 PM – 8:50 PM	0.5	15°	SW → SW
November	Below 10° in darkness	—	1°	—
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: 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 ≈ 20.82 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% 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 (%)

68%

70%

65%

60%

63%

60%

62%

57%

50%

52%

54%

68%

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	71	74	80	83	90	102	101	99	97	95	81	74
Low °F	-2	-3	7	20	33	41	51	49	37	23	15	4
Precip. (in)	3.4	4.1	3.7	4.3	4.1	4.2	5.0	3.8	3.5	3.0	3.4	3.8

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

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.
Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Dick Creek Gap, closest first.

Mountain Pass

Bearwallow Gap8.2 km away · Mitchell County · 1,058 m

Mountain Pass

Bear Gap14 km away · Yancey County · 979 m

State Park

Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site16 km away · Washington County

Waterfall

Spivey Falls17 km away · Unicoi County · 784 m

Scenic Viewpoint

Telford Overlook Ferguson Field19 km away · Washington County · 508 m

Mountain Pass

Ash Gap19 km away · Mitchell County · 1,626 m

Mountain Peak

Roan Mountain21 km away · Mitchell County · 1,915 m

State Park

Roan Mountain State Park22 km away · Carter County

Waterfall

Buckeye Falls22 km away · Unicoi County · 913 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Dick Creek Gap?

September 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 Dick Creek Gap?

In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:20 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:55 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:11 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.

Where does the sun rise and set at Dick Creek Gap?

Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.

Can you see the Milky Way from Dick Creek Gap?

Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).

Do you need a permit to photograph at Dick Creek 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 Dick Creek Gap from Unicoi?

About 5.3 km (3.3 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.

Dick Creek Gap Photography Guide

Light at Dick Creek Gap

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

Sunrise & sunset directions

Golden hour & blue hour by month

Milky Way & night sky

Weather & best season

Average cloud cover (%)

Photography tips for this mountain pass

Nearby photo spots

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

Sources