Scenic view onto a lake in Meeman Shelby State Park
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35.3436° N90.0604° WBortle 5Chicago

Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Shelby County, Tennessee

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki - DoxTxob at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Shelby County, Tennessee, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 14.8 km (9.2 mi) W of Millington.

Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park is a state park in Shelby County, Tennessee near Memphis, located in the southeastern United States. The park borders the Mississippi River and contains two lakes: Poplar Tree Lake and Lake Piersol. The Meeman Museum and Nature Center—named for conservationist and journalist Edward J. Meeman, the former editor of the Memphis Press-Scimitar—is located in the park's grounds. The park covers 12,539 acres (50.74 km2) and is the most visited state park in Tennessee. The unincorporated community Shelby Forest is adjacent to the park.From the Wikipedia article “Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Millington
14.8 km (9.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
September
40% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:52 PM
sunset 6:26 PM

Light at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:11 AM
Sunset
6:20 PM
Golden hour AM
6:55 AM – 7:46 AM
Golden hour PM
5:45 PM – 6:36 PM
Blue hour AM
6:46 AM – 6:55 AM
Blue hour PM
6:36 PM – 6:46 PM
Full darkness
7:45 PM – 5:47 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:21 PM / 1:26 AM
Day length
11h 09m
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 Meeman-Shelby Forest 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)7:05 AM90° E7:12 PM271° W55°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:46 AM60° ENE8:19 PM300° WNW78°14h 33m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:49 AM89° E6:59 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:06 AM119° ESE4:52 PM242° WSW31°9h 46m

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
January6:42 AM7:09 AM7:47 AM4:33 PM5:11 PM5:39 PM10h 02m
February6:22 AM6:48 AM7:23 AM5:08 PM5:43 PM6:09 PM10h 55m
March6:47 AM7:12 AM7:46 AM6:35 PM7:08 PM7:34 PM11h 56m
April6:02 AM6:29 AM7:03 AM6:59 PM7:33 PM7:59 PM13h 05m
May5:29 AM5:57 AM6:33 AM7:22 PM7:58 PM8:26 PM14h 01m
June5:16 AM5:46 AM6:23 AM7:40 PM8:17 PM8:47 PM14h 32m
July5:28 AM5:57 AM6:34 AM7:39 PM8:16 PM8:45 PM14h 19m
August5:54 AM6:21 AM6:55 AM7:16 PM7:51 PM8:18 PM13h 30m
September6:18 AM6:44 AM7:17 AM6:35 PM7:09 PM7:34 PM12h 25m
October6:41 AM7:07 AM7:41 AM5:52 PM6:26 PM6:52 PM11h 19m
November6:09 AM6:36 AM7:13 AM4:18 PM4:55 PM5:22 PM10h 19m
December6:34 AM7:03 AM7:42 AM4:11 PM4:50 PM5:18 PM9h 47m

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 Meeman-Shelby Forest 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February4:48 AM – 5:18 AM0.515°SE → SE
March3:52 AM – 5:42 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April1:52 AM – 4:52 AM3.026°SE → S
May11:57 PM – 4:07 AM4.226°SE → SSW
June10:04 PM – 3:54 AM5.826°SE → SW
July10:00 PM – 2:30 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August9:23 PM – 12:23 AM3.026°S → SW
September8:34 PM – 10:24 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October7:51 PM – 8:31 PM0.715°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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.04 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 °F7477829393105107110100968577
Low °F66723345359544328188
Precip. (in)3.44.74.95.15.43.43.73.53.14.14.24.9

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

  • 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 Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, closest first.

National Wildlife Refuge
Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge14 km away · Crittenden County
Ghost Town
Hopefield21 km away · Crittenden County
Hampson Archeological Museum State ParkState Park
Hampson Archeological Museum State Park25 km away · Mississippi County
Memphis Botanic GardenBotanical Garden
Memphis Botanic Garden26 km away · Shelby County
T. O. Fuller State ParkState Park
T. O. Fuller State Park32 km away · Shelby County
National Wildlife Refuge
Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge32 km away · Lauderdale County
Lichterman Nature CenterBotanical Garden
Lichterman Nature Center33 km away · Shelby County
Oaklawn GardenBotanical Garden
Oaklawn Garden38 km away · Shelby County
Fort Pillow State ParkState Park
Fort Pillow State Park38 km away · Lauderdale County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Meeman-Shelby Forest 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 Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:52 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:26 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:41 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Meeman-Shelby Forest 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 Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Meeman-Shelby Forest 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 Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park from Millington?
About 14.8 km (9.2 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.