Oak Mountain State Park — a state park in Shelby County, Alabama — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Pelham, about 4.8 km (3.0 mi) away (Oak Mountain State Park lies NE of town).
Oak Mountain State Park is a public recreation area located approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Birmingham in the northeast quadrant of the city of Pelham, Alabama, United States. It is the state's largest state park at 9,940 acres (4,020 ha) and is home to the Alabama Wildlife Center, Oak Mountain Interpretive Center, and Oak Mountain BMX Track. Park activities include hiking, running, mountain biking, swimming, camping, fishing, horseback riding, and golf. The park is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.From the Wikipedia article “Oak Mountain State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oak Mountain 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 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 61° ENE | 8:00 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:48 AM | 118° ESE | 4:44 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:12 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Oak Mountain State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:28 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:25 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 4:06 AM | 4.5 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:41 PM – 3:51 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:37 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:04 PM – 12:24 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 10:19 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.35 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 74 | 79 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 108 | 105 | 107 | 103 | 101 | 88 | 78 |
| Low °F | 7 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 52 | 55 | 53 | 41 | 28 | 18 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
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.
- 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 Oak Mountain State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oak Mountain State Park?
What time is golden hour at Oak Mountain State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oak Mountain State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oak Mountain State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oak Mountain State Park?
How far is Oak Mountain State Park from Pelham?
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.