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35.3237° N85.1619° WBortle 4New York

Jones Gap Road Overlook Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Hamilton County, Tennessee

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Hamilton County, Tennessee, Jones Gap Road Overlook is a scenic viewpoint. It sits roughly 7.7 km (4.8 mi) NE of Mowbray Mountain.

Nearest town
Mowbray Mountain
7.7 km (4.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
October
47% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:32 PM
sunset 7:07 PM

Light at Jones Gap Road Overlook

Live
Sunrise
7:52 AM
Sunset
7:01 PM
Golden hour AM
7:36 AM – 8:26 AM
Golden hour PM
6:26 PM – 7:17 PM
Blue hour AM
7:26 AM – 7:36 AM
Blue hour PM
7:17 PM – 7:27 PM
Full darkness
8:26 PM – 6:28 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:01 PM / 2:07 AM
Day length
11h 09m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Jones Gap Road Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:45 AM90° E7:53 PM271° W55°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:27 AM60° ENE8:59 PM300° WNW78°14h 33m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:29 AM89° E7:39 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:46 AM119° ESE5:33 PM242° WSW31°9h 46m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:22 AM7:50 AM8:28 AM5:14 PM5:52 PM6:19 PM10h 02m
February7:02 AM7:28 AM8:03 AM5:48 PM6:23 PM6:49 PM10h 55m
March7:27 AM7:52 AM8:26 AM7:15 PM7:49 PM8:14 PM11h 56m
April6:43 AM7:09 AM7:43 AM7:40 PM8:14 PM8:40 PM13h 05m
May6:09 AM6:37 AM7:13 AM8:02 PM8:38 PM9:07 PM14h 01m
June5:56 AM6:26 AM7:04 AM8:20 PM8:58 PM9:28 PM14h 32m
July6:09 AM6:38 AM7:15 AM8:20 PM8:57 PM9:26 PM14h 19m
August6:34 AM7:01 AM7:36 AM7:56 PM8:31 PM8:58 PM13h 30m
September6:59 AM7:24 AM7:58 AM7:16 PM7:49 PM8:15 PM12h 25m
October7:22 AM7:47 AM8:22 AM6:32 PM7:07 PM7:32 PM11h 19m
November6:50 AM7:17 AM7:54 AM4:59 PM5:36 PM6:03 PM10h 19m
December7:15 AM7:43 AM8:22 AM4:51 PM5:30 PM5:59 PM9h 47m

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 Jones Gap Road Overlook, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:29 AM – 5:59 AM0.515°SE → SE
March4:33 AM – 6:23 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April2:33 AM – 5:33 AM3.026°SE → S
May12:38 AM – 4:48 AM4.226°SE → SSW
June10:45 PM – 4:35 AM5.826°SE → SW
July10:41 PM – 3:11 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August10:04 PM – 1:04 AM3.026°S → SW
September9:15 PM – 11:05 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October8:32 PM – 9:12 PM0.715°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 20.84 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F697381839210710410499988472
Low °F2-51322334753513926128
Precip. (in)4.35.64.55.04.74.35.13.73.93.64.45.4

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

  • 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 Jones Gap Road Overlook, closest first.

Waterfall
Richey Ridge Falls 182.8 km away · Hamilton County
Waterfall
Little Possum Falls 254.3 km away · Hamilton County
Waterfall
Imodium Falls5.0 km away · Hamilton County
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic View5.4 km away · Hamilton County
Scenic Viewpoint
Leggett Point Overlook9.4 km away · Hamilton County
Scenic Viewpoint
Montlake Lookout Tower9.7 km away · Hamilton County · 563 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock Creek Overlook10 km away · Hamilton County · 373 m
Waterfall
Stripmine Falls11 km away · Hamilton County
Waterfall
Legget Branch Falls 3011 km away · Hamilton County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Jones Gap Road Overlook?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
What time is golden hour at Jones Gap Road Overlook?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:32 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:07 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:22 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Jones Gap Road Overlook?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Jones Gap Road Overlook?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jones Gap Road Overlook?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Jones Gap Road Overlook from Mowbray Mountain?
About 7.7 km (4.8 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.