Trail of Tears State Forest is a state park in Union County, Illinois. It sits roughly 7.9 km (4.9 mi) WSW of Cobden.
Trail of Tears State Forest is a State of Illinois conservation area on 5,114 acres (2,070 ha) in Union County, Illinois, United States. Trail of Tears was established in 1929 when Illinois purchased 3,000-acre (1,200 ha) acres of Shawnee Hills land and used the resulting land to create the Kohn-Jackson Forest (later Union County State Forest). Soon afterwards, the state park was improved with work performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Subsequent land acquisitions created the 5,114-acre (2,070 ha) Trail of Tears State Forest of today. The forest occupies land near the route followed by the Cherokee in December 1838 during their forced relocation in the Trail of Tears. Today's state forest contains a state tree nursery, the 222-acre (90 ha) Ozark Hills Nature Preserve, and 22 miles (35 km) of trails for hiking and equestrian use. The nearest town of any size is Jonesboro, Illinois.From the Wikipedia article “Trail of Tears State Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Trail of Tears State Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:23 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Trail of Tears State Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:08 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.49 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 73 | 79 | 85 | 89 | 108 | 108 | 105 | 100 | 92 | 80 | 72 |
| Low °F | -2 | -2 | 6 | 22 | 35 | 45 | 53 | 50 | 40 | 25 | 13 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.9 |
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
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Trail of Tears State Forest, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Natural Arch
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
State ParkNatural Arch
State Park
Rock Formation
Fire LookoutCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Trail of Tears State Forest?
What time is golden hour at Trail of Tears State Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Trail of Tears State Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Trail of Tears State Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Trail of Tears State Forest?
How far is Trail of Tears State Forest from Cobden?
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.