Located in Etowah County, Alabama, Noccalula Falls Scenic View is a scenic viewpoint. The nearest town is Gadsden, about 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away (Noccalula Falls Scenic View lies NNW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Noccalula Falls Scenic View the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:49 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 61° ENE | 7:59 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 118° ESE | 4:39 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 53m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:51 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Noccalula Falls Scenic View, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | 4:22 AM – 5:02 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:33 AM – 4:43 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 3:42 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:38 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:04 PM – 12:14 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:17 PM – 10:17 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.01 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 (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 | 76 | 82 | 85 | 93 | 105 | 104 | 106 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 4 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 56 | 53 | 40 | 29 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.6 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Noccalula Falls Scenic View, closest first.
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Natural ArchFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Noccalula Falls Scenic View?
What time is golden hour at Noccalula Falls Scenic View?
Where does the sun rise and set at Noccalula Falls Scenic View?
Can you see the Milky Way from Noccalula Falls Scenic View?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Noccalula Falls Scenic View?
How far is Noccalula Falls Scenic View from Gadsden?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.