Monte Sano State Park — a state park in Madison County, Alabama — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Huntsville, about 7.0 km (4.3 mi) away (Monte Sano State Park lies E of town).
Monte Sano State Park is a public recreation area and mountaintop retreat encompassing 2,140 acres (870 ha) on the eastern portion of the top and slopes of Monte Sano Mountain on the east side of Huntsville, Alabama. The state park has 1930s-era, Civilian Conservation Corps–built rustic cottages, hiking trails and picnic areas with scenic overlooks, and modern campsites. It is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.From the Wikipedia article “Monte Sano State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Monte Sano State Park 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 61° ENE | 8:03 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 118° ESE | 4:40 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:09 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 50m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Monte Sano State Park, 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 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:24 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:38 AM – 5:28 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:37 AM – 4:37 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:41 PM – 4:01 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:48 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 2:13 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.16 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% 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 | 72 | 76 | 82 | 85 | 93 | 105 | 104 | 106 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 4 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 56 | 53 | 40 | 29 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.6 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Monte Sano State Park, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeWaterfall
CaveScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Monte Sano State Park?
What time is golden hour at Monte Sano State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Monte Sano State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Monte Sano State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Monte Sano State Park?
How far is Monte Sano State Park from Huntsville?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.