Located in Baldwin County, Alabama, Tensaw River Overlook is a scenic viewpoint. The nearest town is Spanish Fort, about 8.0 km (5.0 mi) away (Tensaw River Overlook lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tensaw River Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 62° ENE | 7:58 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 117° ESE | 4:55 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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 | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 22m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 08m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 10m |
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 Tensaw River Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:22 PM – 4:22 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:35 PM – 4:05 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:32 PM – 2:42 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:43 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:40 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:42 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.15 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 75 | 77 | 83 | 88 | 96 | 101 | 99 | 100 | 97 | 96 | 86 | 77 |
| Low °F | 22 | 28 | 31 | 41 | 49 | 64 | 67 | 62 | 54 | 40 | 31 | 27 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 5.3 |
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.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Tensaw River Overlook, closest first.
Ghost Town
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Scenic ViewpointLighthouseScenic Viewpoint
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tensaw River Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Tensaw River Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tensaw River Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tensaw River Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tensaw River Overlook?
How far is Tensaw River Overlook from Spanish Fort?
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.