Overlook #2 — a scenic viewpoint in Dade County, Georgia — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.2 km (3.2 mi) SE of Trenton.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Overlook #2 the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:46 AM | 90° E | 7:54 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:30 AM | 60° ENE | 8:59 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:31 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 118° ESE | 5:35 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:27 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:15 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:32 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:23 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:01 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Overlook #2, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 6:00 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 6:24 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:37 AM – 4:57 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:44 PM – 4:34 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 3:09 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 1:14 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:16 PM – 11:06 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:33 PM – 9:13 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.05 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 (64%). 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 | 77 | 84 | 86 | 94 | 107 | 105 | 105 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 5 | 7 | 17 | 23 | 37 | 51 | 55 | 53 | 40 | 28 | 18 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 5.4 |
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
- 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.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- 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 Overlook #2, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Overlook #2?
What time is golden hour at Overlook #2?
Where does the sun rise and set at Overlook #2?
Can you see the Milky Way from Overlook #2?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Overlook #2?
How far is Overlook #2 from Trenton?
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.