Located in Douglas County, Georgia, Sweetwater Creek State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 4.9 km (3.0 mi) SSE of Lithia Springs.
Sweetwater Creek State Park is a 2,549 acres (10.32 km2) Georgia state park in east Douglas County, 15 miles (24 km) from downtown Atlanta. The park is named after Sweetwater Creek which runs through it. Cherokee people were forcibly removed from the area and it eventually became home to the New Manchester Manufacturing Company and mill town of New Manchester. During the American Civil War the textile mill and general store were burned down by the Union Army and the women and children taken away and eventually sent to Louisville, Kentucky and Indiana as refugees. Sweetwater became an official state park in 1972, driven in great part by the work of the Georgia Conservancy, an environmental organization that was formed during a meeting at Sweetwater Creek in 1967. The park features wooded walking and hiking trails, the George Sparks Reservoir, a visitor center, a bait shop, and a gift...From the Wikipedia article “Sweetwater Creek State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sweetwater Creek 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) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:51 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 61° ENE | 8:53 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 118° ESE | 5:35 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:21 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:25 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:23 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:01 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 25m |
| 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 | 7:44 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Sweetwater Creek 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 | 5:17 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 | 12:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:36 PM – 4:36 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 3:12 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 1:18 AM | 3.3 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:11 PM – 11:11 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:29 PM – 9:09 PM | 0.7 | 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 ≈ 19.42 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.
- 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 Sweetwater Creek State Park, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Mountain Peak
State Park
Botanical Garden
Mountain PeakFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sweetwater Creek State Park?
What time is golden hour at Sweetwater Creek State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sweetwater Creek State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sweetwater Creek State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sweetwater Creek State Park?
How far is Sweetwater Creek State Park from Lithia Springs?
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.