Center Hill Dam, viewed from the observation tower at Edgar Evins State Park in DeKalb County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States.
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36.0501° N85.8375° WBortle 3Chicago

Edgar Evins State Park Photography Guide

State Park in DeKalb County, Tennessee

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–300°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0 · source

Located in DeKalb County, Tennessee, Edgar Evins State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 10.2 km (6.3 mi) NNW of Smithville.

Edgar Evins State Park is a state park in DeKalb County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The park consists of 6,300 acres (25 km2) along the shores of Center Hill Lake, an impoundment of the Caney Fork River. The State of Tennessee leases the land from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. James Edgar Evins (1883–1954), the park's namesake, was a Smithville businessman, mayor, and state senator who played a vital role in the development of the Center Hill Dam and Reservoir in the 1940s. He was the father of former United States Representative Joe L. Evins, for whom the nearby Joe L. Evins Appalachian Center for Craft is named. The Evins family began pushing for the establishment of a state park along the DeKalb County portion of Center Hill Lake as early as the 1950s.From the Wikipedia article “Edgar Evins State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Smithville
10.2 km (6.3 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:34 PM
sunset 6:09 PM

Light at Edgar Evins State Park

Live
Sunrise
6:55 AM
Sunset
6:02 PM
Golden hour AM
6:39 AM – 7:30 AM
Golden hour PM
5:27 PM – 6:18 PM
Blue hour AM
6:29 AM – 6:39 AM
Blue hour PM
6:18 PM – 6:28 PM
Full darkness
7:28 PM – 5:30 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:05 PM / 1:08 AM
Day length
11h 07m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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 Edgar Evins 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 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:48 AM90° E6:55 PM271° W54°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:28 AM60° ENE8:04 PM300° WNW77°14h 37m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:32 AM89° E6:42 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:51 AM119° ESE4:33 PM241° WSW31°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:26 AM6:54 AM7:33 AM4:14 PM4:53 PM5:21 PM9h 59m
February6:05 AM6:32 AM7:07 AM4:50 PM5:25 PM5:51 PM10h 53m
March6:30 AM6:55 AM7:29 AM6:17 PM6:51 PM7:17 PM11h 56m
April5:44 AM6:11 AM6:45 AM6:43 PM7:17 PM7:44 PM13h 06m
May5:10 AM5:38 AM6:15 AM7:06 PM7:43 PM8:11 PM14h 04m
June4:57 AM5:27 AM6:05 AM7:25 PM8:03 PM8:33 PM14h 36m
July5:09 AM5:39 AM6:16 AM7:24 PM8:01 PM8:31 PM14h 23m
August5:35 AM6:03 AM6:38 AM7:00 PM7:35 PM8:02 PM13h 32m
September6:01 AM6:27 AM7:00 AM6:19 PM6:52 PM7:18 PM12h 26m
October6:25 AM6:51 AM7:25 AM5:34 PM6:09 PM6:35 PM11h 18m
November5:53 AM6:21 AM6:58 AM4:00 PM4:37 PM5:04 PM10h 16m
December6:19 AM6:48 AM7:27 AM3:51 PM4:31 PM5:00 PM9h 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 Edgar Evins 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:31 AM – 5:01 AM0.515°SE → SE
March3:36 AM – 5:26 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April1:37 AM – 4:37 AM3.025°SE → S
May11:43 PM – 3:53 AM4.225°SE → SSW
June9:52 PM – 3:32 AM5.725°SE → SW
July9:46 PM – 2:06 AM4.325°SSE → SW
August9:09 PM – 12:09 AM3.025°S → SW
September8:19 PM – 10:09 PM1.822°SSW → SW
October7:34 PM – 8:04 PM0.515°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.39 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6973828595107105104101968573
Low °F1-252334475450382583
Precip. (in)4.15.54.45.34.94.55.53.93.73.64.25.0

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

  • 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.
  • 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 Edgar Evins State Park, closest first.

Waterfall
Cul-car-mac Falls13 km away · DeKalb County · 267 m
Burgess FallsWaterfall
Burgess Falls22 km away · Putnam County · 235 m
Burgess Falls State ParkState Park
Burgess Falls State Park22 km away · Putnam County
Waterfall
Rainbow Falls31 km away · Cannon County · 347 m
Rock Island State ParkWaterfall
Rock Island State Park32 km away · Warren County
Cummins FallsWaterfall
Cummins Falls33 km away · Jackson County · 234 m
Waterfall
Great Falls33 km away · Warren County · 207 m
Greater FallsWaterfall
Greater Falls33 km away · Warren County
Cummins Falls State ParkState Park
Cummins Falls State Park33 km away · Jackson County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Edgar Evins State Park?
September 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 Edgar Evins State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:34 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:09 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:25 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Edgar Evins State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Edgar Evins State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Edgar Evins 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 Edgar Evins State Park from Smithville?
About 10.2 km (6.3 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.