Located in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, Fort Pillow State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 13.8 km (8.6 mi) ESE of Osceola. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Pillow State Historic Park is a state park in western Tennessee that preserves the American Civil War site of the Battle of Fort Pillow. The 1,642 acre (6.6 km²) Fort Pillow, located in Lauderdale County on the Chickasaw Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, is rich in both historic and archaeological significance. In 1861, the Confederate army built extensive fortifications and named the site for General Gideon Johnson Pillow of Maury County. It was attacked and held by the Union Army for most of the American Civil War period except immediately after the Battle of Fort Pillow, when it was retaken by the Confederate Army. The battle ended with a massacre of African-American Union troops and their white officers attempting to surrender, by soldiers under the command of Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Pillow State Historic Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Pillow 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 60° ENE | 8:19 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 119° ESE | 4:50 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 44m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 33m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 46m |
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 Fort Pillow 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:47 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:52 AM – 4:52 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:06 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:01 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:24 PM – 12:24 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.2 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). August 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 | 74 | 75 | 82 | 89 | 92 | 106 | 106 | 110 | 103 | 98 | 86 | 76 |
| Low °F | 5 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 37 | 51 | 57 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 16 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 5.1 |
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 Fort Pillow State Park, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State ParkNational Wildlife Refuge
Fire Lookout
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Pillow State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fort Pillow State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Pillow State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Pillow State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Pillow State Park?
How far is Fort Pillow State Park from Osceola?
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.