Located in Putnam County, Tennessee, Burgess Falls is a waterfall at about 235 m (771 ft) above sea level. It is part of Burgess Falls State Park. It sits roughly 13.0 km (8.1 mi) SSE of Baxter.
The Burgess Falls is a cascade waterfall on the Falling Water River located within the Burgess Falls State Park, in Putnam and White counties, Tennessee, in the United States. The waterfall spills approximately 136 feet (41 m) into a large limestone gorge enclosed by sheer 100–200-foot (30–61 m) walls. The Falling Water River enters Center Hill Lake downstream from Burgess Falls.From the Wikipedia article “Burgess Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Burgess 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 60° ENE | 8:03 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 119° ESE | 4:32 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 42m |
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 | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:57 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:03 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:30 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Burgess Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 4:36 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:42 PM – 3:52 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:51 PM – 3:31 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:45 PM – 2:05 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:08 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:18 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:33 PM – 8:03 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.35 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 69 | 73 | 82 | 85 | 95 | 107 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 96 | 85 | 73 |
| Low °F | 1 | -2 | 5 | 23 | 34 | 47 | 54 | 50 | 38 | 25 | 8 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 5.5 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 5.0 |
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
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Burgess Falls, closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Cave
State Park
Waterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ragland Bottom13.6 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Hurricane Bridge13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Floating Mill Park15.2 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Center Hill Lake Primitive Camping Areas22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Long Branch (Center Hill Lake)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Burgess Falls?
What time is golden hour at Burgess Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Burgess Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Burgess Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Burgess Falls?
How far is Burgess Falls from Baxter?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. 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.