Bicentennial Mall State Park — a state park in Davidson County, Tennessee — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 700 m NNW of Nashville.
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, commonly known as Bicentennial Mall, is a linear park in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The park is located on 19 acres (7.7 ha) north-northwest of the Tennessee State Capitol, and is considered an extension of the capitol grounds. It is modeled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and incorporates Classical Greek, Baroque, and Beaux-Arts architecture. It functions as an outdoor museum that uses symbolism to showcase the history, geography, culture, and musical heritage of Tennessee through a series of monuments, walkways, and interpretive displays. It is also landscaped with plants that are native to Tennessee. Receiving more than 2.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited of the 65 state parks in Tennessee, and one of the most visited public spaces in Nashville.From the Wikipedia article “Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bicentennial Mall State 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 300° (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) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 60° ENE | 8:08 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 119° ESE | 4:37 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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 | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 43m |
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 Bicentennial Mall State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:50 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 3:58 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:57 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:14 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:38 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.78 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 74 | 81 | 83 | 90 | 107 | 105 | 107 | 101 | 97 | 86 | 73 |
| Low °F | 2 | -5 | 3 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 54 | 50 | 38 | 26 | 8 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.8 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Bicentennial Mall State Park, closest first.
Cave
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Natural Arch
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Old Hickory Beach17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Cook Day Use Area17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Anderson Road Campground18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Rockland Recreation Area18.7 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
- Seven Points (Tn)20.0 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
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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.