Located in Jefferson County, Alabama, Turtle Rock is a scenic viewpoint. The nearest town is Hoover, about 3.1 km (1.9 mi) away (Turtle Rock lies SW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Turtle Rock 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 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 61° ENE | 8:01 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:48 AM | 118° ESE | 4:44 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 56m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:13 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 57m |
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 Turtle Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:28 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:35 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.2 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:37 PM – 4:07 AM | 4.5 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 3:52 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:38 PM – 2:28 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:05 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 10:19 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.7 | 17° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.41 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 74 | 79 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 108 | 105 | 107 | 103 | 101 | 88 | 78 |
| Low °F | 7 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 52 | 55 | 53 | 41 | 28 | 18 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
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
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Turtle Rock, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Turtle Rock?
What time is golden hour at Turtle Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Turtle Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Turtle Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Turtle Rock?
How far is Turtle Rock from Hoover?
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.