Fort Yargo State Park is a state park in Barrow County, Georgia. The nearest town is Winder, about 2.9 km (1.8 mi) away (Fort Yargo State Park lies SSW of town).
Fort Yargo State Park is a 1,816-acre (7.35 km2) U.S. state park located in Winder, Georgia, situated between Athens and Atlanta. The park is located 1 mile south of Winder and is accessible by Georgia State Route 81. There is a 260-acre (1.1 km2) lake with a public beach. Available activities at Fort Yargo include GeoCaching, hiking, mountain biking, disc golf, boating (including johnboat, pedal boat, and canoe rentals), lake swimming, fishing, picnicking, and miniature golf. The park also features a log fort built in 1792 by settlers, for protection against the Creek and Cherokee. The park also hosts Camp Will-A-Way, an accessible camp designed for individuals with developmental disabilities, in partnership with Camp Twin Lakes.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Yargo State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Yargo 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 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:40 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:25 AM | 61° ENE | 8:50 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 118° ESE | 5:30 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 53m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Fort Yargo State Park, 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 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 | 5:13 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 6:16 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:33 PM – 4:33 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 3:09 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 1:05 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 11:08 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:25 PM – 9:05 PM | 0.7 | 16° | 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 ≈ 19.43 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 93 | 98 | 111 | 109 | 107 | 103 | 102 | 85 | 79 |
| Low °F | 8 | 16 | 18 | 26 | 40 | 54 | 60 | 57 | 44 | 30 | 20 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.9 |
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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Fort Yargo State Park, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Lake
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Yargo State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fort Yargo State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Yargo State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Yargo State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Yargo State Park?
How far is Fort Yargo State Park from Winder?
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.