Rock Falls — a waterfall in Coffee County, Georgia at about 60 m (197 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 12.3 km (7.6 mi) NNE of Broxton.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rock Falls 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 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:27 AM | 62° ENE | 8:41 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 117° ESE | 5:32 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:06 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 46m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 13m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 19m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 33m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 05m |
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 Rock Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 5:00 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 6:11 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:55 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:18 PM – 4:38 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 3:15 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 1:14 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 11:11 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:11 PM | 0.8 | 18° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.75 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 81 | 82 | 87 | 96 | 104 | 104 | 103 | 102 | 101 | 100 | 89 | 83 |
| Low °F | 17 | 21 | 23 | 34 | 46 | 60 | 64 | 64 | 51 | 33 | 21 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 6.0 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.7 |
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 waterfall
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rock Falls?
What time is golden hour at Rock Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rock Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rock Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rock Falls?
How far is Rock Falls from Broxton?
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.