Located in Maury County, Tennessee, Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area is a waterfall. It sits roughly 9.6 km (6.0 mi) SW of Mount Pleasant.
Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area, located in Summertown, is a natural area in Maury County, Tennessee. The main feature of the area is Stillhouse Hollow Falls, a 75-foot (23 m) waterfall, which is located approximately two-thirds of a mile from the entrance. The natural area was acquired by the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation (TPGF) and was later sold to the state of Tennessee. It was designated a natural area on June 3, 2006, under the Natural Areas Preservation Act of 1971.From the Wikipedia article “Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area 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) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 60° ENE | 8:08 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 119° ESE | 4:41 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 45m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 20m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 47m |
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 Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area, 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 | 4:37 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:42 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:47 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:13 PM – 12:13 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:40 PM – 8:10 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 ≈ 21.39 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 71 | 73 | 82 | 86 | 93 | 109 | 105 | 108 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 2 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 35 | 50 | 53 | 51 | 39 | 28 | 12 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 5.1 |
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
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area?
What time is golden hour at Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area?
How far is Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area from Mount Pleasant?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.