Natchez Trace Parkway is a Parkway in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 3 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Natchez Trace
We matched 3 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Natchez Trace. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Natural Arches (1)
Caves (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Natchez Trace the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:11 PM | 245° | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:41 PM | 256° | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:27 PM | 283° | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:56 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 294° | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:46 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 299° | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:57 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 297° | 14h 11m |
| August | 6:19 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 288° | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 274° | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:24 PM | 260° | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:54 PM | 248° | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:50 PM | 242° | 9h 55m |
Computed for the park's reference point (33.7800, -89.0309); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Natchez Trace, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:34 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.8 | 24° |
| April | 1:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| May | 11:47 PM – 4:17 AM | 4.5 | 27° |
| June | 9:53 PM – 3:53 AM | 6.0 | 27° |
| July | 9:49 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.7 | 27° |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:35 AM | 3.3 | 27° |
| September | 8:28 PM – 10:28 PM | 2.0 | 24° |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.7 | 17° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Mississippi, Alabama, and most of Tennessee are classified as humid subtropical climates. The weather ranges from mild winters to hot summers. Average high temperatures reach into the high 90's in summer and often heat indices are over 100°F. Winters are mild with daytime temperatures around 50°F but lows below freezing are not uncommon. Thunderstorms are common in the southeast and the southern part of Mississippi is occasionally affected by hurricanes. Check local forecasts to plan your trip.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (63%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
Directions to the Natchez Trace Parkway vary depending on what part of the tri-state Parkway you are trying to reach. There are more than 50 roads that access the Parkway in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. For specific questions concerning how to get to a certain portion of the Parkway, please call the Visitor Center at 662-680-4027.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- RV Camping
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
Nearby parks
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AL/MS
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IL/MS
TN/MS
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