Group Lodge at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.A.
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35.1089° N85.1761° WBortle 6New York

Booker T. Washington State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Hamilton County, Tennessee

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Ichabod · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Hamilton County, Tennessee, Booker T. Washington State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 3.5 km (2.2 mi) W of Harrison.

Booker T. Washington State Park is a 353-acre (1.43 km2) park situated on the shores of Chickamauga Lake. It was built largely by African-American units of the Civilian Conservation Corps. It was originally designated under segregation as one of two Tennessee State Parks for use by blacks (the other being T. O. Fuller State Park near Memphis) until discrimination in public accommodations in the United States was banned under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.From the Wikipedia article “Booker T. Washington State Park (Tennessee)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Harrison
3.5 km (2.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
October
47% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:33 PM
sunset 7:07 PM

Light at Booker T. Washington State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:52 AM
Sunset
7:01 PM
Golden hour AM
7:36 AM – 8:26 AM
Golden hour PM
6:26 PM – 7:17 PM
Blue hour AM
7:26 AM – 7:36 AM
Blue hour PM
7:17 PM – 7:26 PM
Full darkness
8:25 PM – 6:28 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:00 PM / 2:07 AM
Day length
11h 09m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Booker T. Washington 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:45 AM90° E7:53 PM271° W55°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:28 AM60° ENE8:59 PM300° WNW78°14h 31m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:29 AM89° E7:39 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:46 AM119° ESE5:33 PM242° WSW31°9h 47m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:22 AM7:49 AM8:27 AM5:14 PM5:52 PM6:20 PM10h 03m
February7:02 AM7:28 AM8:03 AM5:49 PM6:24 PM6:50 PM10h 56m
March7:27 AM7:52 AM8:26 AM7:15 PM7:49 PM8:14 PM11h 56m
April6:43 AM7:09 AM7:43 AM7:39 PM8:13 PM8:39 PM13h 04m
May6:10 AM6:38 AM7:14 AM8:02 PM8:38 PM9:06 PM14h 00m
June5:57 AM6:27 AM7:04 AM8:20 PM8:57 PM9:27 PM14h 30m
July6:09 AM6:38 AM7:15 AM8:19 PM8:56 PM9:25 PM14h 18m
August6:35 AM7:01 AM7:36 AM7:56 PM8:31 PM8:58 PM13h 29m
September6:59 AM7:24 AM7:58 AM7:16 PM7:49 PM8:15 PM12h 25m
October7:22 AM7:47 AM8:21 AM6:33 PM7:07 PM7:33 PM11h 20m
November6:49 AM7:16 AM7:53 AM4:59 PM5:36 PM6:03 PM10h 20m
December7:14 AM7:42 AM8:22 AM4:52 PM5:31 PM5:59 PM9h 48m

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 Booker T. Washington State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:19 AM – 5:59 AM0.715°SE → SE
March4:33 AM – 6:23 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April2:33 AM – 5:33 AM3.026°SE → S
May12:37 AM – 4:57 AM4.326°SE → SSW
June10:44 PM – 4:34 AM5.826°SE → SW
July10:39 PM – 3:09 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August10:04 PM – 1:14 AM3.226°S → SW
September9:15 PM – 11:05 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October8:32 PM – 9:12 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 19.2 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 47% 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F697381839210710410499988472
Low °F2-51322334753513926128
Precip. (in)4.35.64.55.04.74.35.13.73.93.64.45.4

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 Booker T. Washington State Park, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Lookout Point7.8 km away · Hamilton County · 210 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Coffey's Cliff8.1 km away · Hamilton County
Harrison Bay State ParkState Park
Harrison Bay State Park8.6 km away · Hamilton County
Reflection Riding Arboretum and Botanical GardenBotanical Garden
Reflection Riding Arboretum and Botanical Garden11 km away · Hamilton County
Scenic Viewpoint
Baker Street Overlook13 km away · Hamilton County
Scenic Viewpoint
Walnut Street Bridge13 km away · Hamilton County
Waterfall
Falling Water Falls 11013 km away · Hamilton County · 435 m
Waterfall
Flatrock Falls14 km away · Hamilton County · 345 m
Waterfall
Freudenberg Falls14 km away · Hamilton County · 385 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Booker T. Washington State Park?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Booker T. Washington State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:33 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:07 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:21 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Booker T. Washington State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Booker T. Washington State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Booker T. Washington State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Booker T. Washington State Park from Harrison?
About 3.5 km (2.2 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.