Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site is a state park in Paulding County, Georgia. It sits roughly 9.3 km (5.8 mi) NE of Dallas. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site is a Georgia state park in Paulding County, Georgia, that preserves the American Civil War battlefield of the Battle of Pickett's Mill. The 765-acre site includes roads used by Union and Confederate troops, earthwork battlements, and an 1800s-era pioneer cabin. The area's ravine is a site where hundreds died. The park's visitor center includes exhibits and a film about the battle. The battle took place on May 27, 1864, as the Union Army tried to advance on Atlanta two days after the Battle of New Hope Church. The battle included 14,000 Union Army troops under General Howard and 10,000 Confederate troops under General Cleburne. The Union army began its attack at around 5 p.m. The Confederate army held out. The Union army had 1,600 casualties and the Confederate Army lost approximately 500. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places...From the Wikipedia article “Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site 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) | 7:44 AM | 90° E | 7:51 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 61° ENE | 8:54 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:28 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 118° ESE | 5:35 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 | 7:18 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:02 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 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 Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site, 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 5 (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 | 5:17 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 6:20 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 5:38 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 4:51 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:37 PM – 4:37 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 1:09 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 11:12 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:29 PM – 9:09 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.21 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 (59%). 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 | 75 | 78 | 84 | 91 | 96 | 108 | 107 | 105 | 103 | 102 | 85 | 78 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 17 | 26 | 38 | 52 | 57 | 56 | 42 | 29 | 20 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 5.0 |
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 Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Lake
Beach
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointBeach
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Galt'S Ferry Day Use Area (Ga)20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Riverside Park Day Use Area (Ga)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Cooper'S Furnace Day Use Area (Ga)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Cooper Branch No 2 Day Use Area (Ga)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Payne Campground-Allatoona Lake23 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site?
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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.