Reelfoot Lake State Park — a state park in Obion County, Tennessee — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.4 km (5.2 mi) ENE of Tiptonville.
Reelfoot Lake State Park is a state park in the northwest corner of Tennessee in the United States. It encompasses Reelfoot Lake and is situated in Lake and Obion counties. The park itself makes up 280 acres (1.1 km2), divided into ten sections around the lake. A major hunting and fishing preserve, it is part of a much larger wildlife refuge which comprises 25,000 acres (100 km2), 15,000 acres (61 km2) of which are water, and harbors almost every kind of shorebird, as well as the golden and American bald eagles. Other animals are also diverse and abundant. The many species of flowering and non-flowering plants attract botany enthusiasts from all over the country. Bald cypress dominates the margins of the lake, but many other trees and shrubs are also present.From the Wikipedia article “Reelfoot Lake State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Reelfoot Lake 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 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 60° ENE | 8:19 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 119° ESE | 4:47 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 7:48 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Reelfoot Lake State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:46 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:53 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:00 AM – 4:00 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:26 PM – 12:16 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.54 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 (65%). 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 | 72 | 73 | 80 | 86 | 90 | 106 | 105 | 105 | 100 | 93 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 3 | -1 | 7 | 24 | 36 | 50 | 57 | 52 | 42 | 28 | 15 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
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 Reelfoot Lake State Park, closest first.
National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Ghost Town
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Reelfoot Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Reelfoot Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Reelfoot Lake State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Reelfoot Lake State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Reelfoot Lake State Park?
How far is Reelfoot Lake State Park from Tiptonville?
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.