Old Town Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Lee County, Mississippi at about 93 m (305 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Tupelo, about 5.4 km (3.4 mi) away (Old Town Overlook lies NNW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Old Town Overlook 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 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) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 61° ENE | 8:11 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 118° ESE | 4:50 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 53m |
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 Old Town Overlook, 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 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 | 4:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 3:54 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 10:28 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:25 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: 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 ≈ 20.0 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% 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 | 73 | 75 | 83 | 87 | 97 | 109 | 106 | 110 | 102 | 103 | 89 | 76 |
| Low °F | 5 | 12 | 17 | 25 | 39 | 52 | 57 | 53 | 42 | 28 | 18 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 5.7 |
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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Old Town Overlook, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Whitten Park28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Whitten Park Picnic Shelters28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Cherokee Picnic Shelter28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Jamie L. Whitten Campground29 km (18 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Old Town Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Old Town Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Old Town Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Old Town Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Old Town Overlook?
How far is Old Town Overlook from Tupelo?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.