Red Clay State Park — a state park in Hamilton County, Tennessee — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Apison, about 7.8 km (4.8 mi) away (Red Clay State Park lies ESE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Red Clay State Historic Park is a state park located in southern Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The park preserves the Red Clay Council Grounds, which were the site of the last capital of the Cherokee Nation in the eastern United States from 1832 to 1838 before the enforcement of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This act resulted in a forced migration of most of the Cherokee people to present-day Oklahoma known as the Cherokee removal. At the council grounds, the Cherokee made multiple unsuccessful pleas to the U.S. government to be allowed to remain in their ancestral homeland. The site is considered sacred to the Cherokees and includes the Blue Hole Spring, a large hydrological spring. It is also listed as an interpretive center along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.From the Wikipedia article “Red Clay State Historic Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Red Clay 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 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:44 AM | 90° E | 7:52 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:27 AM | 60° ENE | 8:58 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:29 AM | 89° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 119° ESE | 5:33 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 7:20 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:26 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:13 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:19 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Red Clay 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 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 | 5:18 AM – 5:58 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:32 AM – 6:22 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 5:32 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 4:56 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:43 PM – 4:33 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 1:13 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 11:04 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:31 PM – 9:11 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 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: 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 ≈ 20.79 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 75 | 83 | 85 | 92 | 107 | 104 | 102 | 100 | 97 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 2 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 52 | 52 | 38 | 25 | 17 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.5 |
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.
- 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 Red Clay State Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
State ParkScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Wilderness AreaScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cottonwood Patch Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Cottonwood Patch Campground28 km (17 mi)
- Chickamauga Battlefield Group Campground30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red Clay State Park?
What time is golden hour at Red Clay State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Clay State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Clay State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Clay State Park?
How far is Red Clay State Park from Apison?
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.