Bald River Falls — a waterfall in Monroe County, Tennessee at about 441 m (1,447 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Cherokee National Forest. It sits roughly 28 km (17 mi) SE of Madisonville.
Wikidata describes it as: “waterfall in Tennessee, United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bald River Falls 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:23 AM | 60° ENE | 8:56 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:42 AM | 119° ESE | 5:29 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 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
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:10 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:55 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 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 Bald River Falls, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 6:19 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 5:29 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 4:44 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:41 PM – 4:31 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 3:07 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:11 PM – 11:01 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:28 PM – 9:08 PM | 0.7 | 15° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 48% 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 76 | 87 | 85 | 94 | 107 | 107 | 104 | 101 | 98 | 86 | 74 |
| Low °F | 3 | 0 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 47 | 53 | 52 | 39 | 26 | 18 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 5.3 |
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
- 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.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bald River Falls, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Wilderness AreaMountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Wilderness AreaWaterfallWaterfallMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Holly Flats Campground4.3 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Mcnabb Creek Group4.4 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- North River Campground4.8 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Dam Creek Walk-In Campground And Picnic Area5.3 km (3.3 mi)
- Birch Branch Campground6.0 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bald River Falls?
What time is golden hour at Bald River Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bald River Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bald River Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bald River Falls?
How far is Bald River Falls from Madisonville?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.