Cumberland Falls State Resort Park — a state park in McCreary County, Kentucky — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Whitley City, about 17.9 km (11.1 mi) away (Cumberland Falls State Resort Park lies NE of town).
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is a park located just southwest of Corbin, Kentucky, and is contained entirely within the Daniel Boone National Forest. The park encompasses 1,657 acres (671 ha) and is named for its major feature, 68-foot-tall (21 m) Cumberland Falls. The falls are one of the few places in the western hemisphere where a moonbow can frequently be seen on nights with a full moon. The park is also the home of 44-foot (13 m) Eagle Falls. The section of the Cumberland River that includes the falls was designated a Kentucky Wild River by the Kentucky General Assembly through the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves' Wild Rivers System. The forest in the park is also a dedicated State Nature Preserve.From the Wikipedia article “Cumberland Falls State Resort Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cumberland Falls State Resort Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 60° ENE | 9:00 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 119° ESE | 5:25 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:29 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:13 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:24 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 6:02 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:41 AM – 6:21 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 4:40 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:50 PM – 4:20 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:55 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 10:54 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:28 PM – 8:58 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 69 | 72 | 82 | 83 | 91 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 83 | 72 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 3 | 21 | 30 | 43 | 51 | 49 | 37 | 24 | 10 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 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
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Grove15.2 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Laurel River Lake Picnic Area15.2 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Holly Bay16.5 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Craigs Creek Group Area18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Alum Ford Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cumberland Falls State Resort Park?
What time is golden hour at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cumberland Falls State Resort Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park?
How far is Cumberland Falls State Resort Park from Whitley City?
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.