Mount Kephart — a mountain peak in Sevier County, Tennessee at about 1,895 m (6,217 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 14.4 km (8.9 mi) SE of Gatlinburg.
Mount Kephart is a mountain in the central Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. The Appalachian Trail crosses the mountain's south slope, making it a destination for thru-hikers. The Jumpoff, a 1,000-foot (300 m) cliff on the northeast side of the mountain, has views of the central and eastern Smokies. A stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest coats the mountain's upper elevations. With an elevation of 6,217 ft, Mount Kephart is the 7th-highest mountain in Tennessee. Its topographic prominence is drastically reduced, however, by its close proximity to two higher neighbors, Kuwohi and Mount Le Conte.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Kephart”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Kephart 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 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 60° ENE | 8:53 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 119° ESE | 5:25 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 45m |
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
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 33m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 20m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 46m |
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 Mount Kephart, 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:52 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 6:17 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 5:27 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 4:43 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:41 PM – 4:21 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 2:56 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 12:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:59 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:25 PM – 8:55 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 ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 68 | 71 | 81 | 80 | 87 | 101 | 99 | 97 | 95 | 92 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | -3 | -1 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 42 | 48 | 47 | 36 | 23 | 12 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.3 |
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 peak
- Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Photograph the peak from a lake, meadow or ridge at sunrise when the face that looks east lights up first.
- Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. 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 Mount Kephart, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Cave
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Greenbrier Picnic Pavilion9.1 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
- Smokemont Group Camp10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Smokemont Campground10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion11.9 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Kephart?
What time is golden hour at Mount Kephart?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Kephart?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Kephart?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Kephart?
How far is Mount Kephart from Gatlinburg?
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.