Located in Gordon County, Georgia, New Echota is a state park. It sits roughly 5.6 km (3.5 mi) NE of Calhoun. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
New Echota was the capital of the Cherokee Nation in the Southeastern United States from 1825 until their forced removal in the late 1830s. New Echota is located in present-day Gordon County, in northwest Georgia, north of Calhoun. It is south of Resaca, next to present day New Town, known to the Cherokee as ᎤᏍᏔᎾᎵ, Ustanali. The site has been preserved as a state park and a historic site. It was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1973. The site is at the confluence of the Coosawattee and Conasauga rivers, which join to form the Oostanaula River, a tributary of the Coosa River. Archeological evidence has shown that the site of New Echota had been occupied by ancient indigenous cultures for thousands of years prior to the Cherokee. It was known as ᎦᎾᏌᎩᏱ, Gansagiyi or ᎦᎾᏌᎩ, Gansagi. The Cherokee renamed it New Echota in 1825 after making it the capital, in honor of...From the Wikipedia article “New Echota”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At New Echota 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) | 7:44 AM | 90° E | 7:52 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:28 AM | 61° ENE | 8:56 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:28 AM | 89° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 118° ESE | 5:34 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:13 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:04 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 51m |
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 New Echota, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:58 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:32 AM – 6:22 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 4:54 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:40 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 3:16 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 1:11 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 11:13 PM | 2.0 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:30 PM – 9:10 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.52 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 (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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 71 | 75 | 83 | 85 | 92 | 107 | 104 | 102 | 100 | 97 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 2 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 52 | 52 | 38 | 25 | 17 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.5 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 New Echota, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pocket Picnic Shelter16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Pocket Campground16.8 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Rereg Dam Day Use Area Shelter21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Northbank Day Use Area Shelter24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Damsite Day Use Area Shelter24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph New Echota?
What time is golden hour at New Echota?
Where does the sun rise and set at New Echota?
Can you see the Milky Way from New Echota?
Do you need a permit to photograph at New Echota?
How far is New Echota from Calhoun?
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.