Located in Carter County, Tennessee, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area is a state park. The nearest town is Elizabethton, about 3.7 km (2.3 mi) away (Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area lies W of town).
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park is a state park located in Elizabethton, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The park consists of 70 acres (28.3 ha) situated along the Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River, a National Historic Landmark where a series of events critical to the establishment of the states of Tennessee and Kentucky, and the settlement of the Trans-Appalachian frontier in general, took place. Along with the historic shoals, the park includes a visitor center and museum, the reconstructed Fort Watauga, the Carter House (at a satellite location in Elizabethton) and Sabine Hill (also at a satellite location in Elizabethton).From the Wikipedia article “Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area 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) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:12 AM | 60° ENE | 8:51 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 41m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 37m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:32 AM – 6:12 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:40 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:39 PM – 4:19 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 12:46 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 10:45 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 8:50 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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: 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 ≈ 19.76 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 71 | 74 | 80 | 83 | 90 | 102 | 101 | 99 | 97 | 95 | 81 | 74 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 7 | 20 | 33 | 41 | 51 | 49 | 37 | 23 | 15 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 |
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 Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, closest first.
Covered Bridge
State Park
WaterfallWaterfall
Mountain Pass
State ParkMountain PassMountain PassWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions10.8 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Cardens Bluff Campground12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Watauga Point Recreation Area15.2 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- Dennis Cove Campground16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
- Rock Creek Recreation Area (Cherokee National Forest, Tn)25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area?
What time is golden hour at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area?
How far is Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area from Elizabethton?
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.