Raven Cliffs Wilderness is a wilderness area in Union County, Georgia. The nearest town is Cleveland, about 14.6 km (9.1 mi) away (Raven Cliffs Wilderness lies NNW of town).
The Raven Cliffs Wilderness was designated in 1986 and currently consists of 9,115 acres (36.89 km2). The Wilderness is located within the borders of the Chattahoochee National Forest in White, Lumpkin, and Union Counties, Georgia. The Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Elevations in the Raven Cliffs Wilderness range from about 1,800 feet (550 m) on Boggs Creek to 3,846 feet (1,172 m) on Levelland Mountain. Logged in the early to mid-1900s, the forest has recovered with dense hardwoods and scattered pines, most of which have now celebrated their 60th birthday. Approximately 41 miles (66 km) of trout streams, including Boggs Creek, attract many anglers and there is also abundant wildlife. The Raven Cliff Falls and Raven Cliffs Scenic Area are also big attractions.From the Wikipedia article “Raven Cliffs Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Raven Cliffs Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:40 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:23 AM | 61° ENE | 8:52 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 118° ESE | 5:29 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:21 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:20 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:16 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Raven Cliffs Wilderness, 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 6:17 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:50 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:37 PM – 4:27 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 3:02 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 1:07 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:59 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:26 PM – 9:06 PM | 0.7 | 16° | 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 ≈ 21.52 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 75 | 81 | 86 | 92 | 108 | 107 | 103 | 100 | 100 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 3 | 7 | 20 | 22 | 34 | 49 | 55 | 54 | 40 | 27 | 18 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 5.7 |
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 wilderness area
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Raven Cliffs Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakMountain PassMountain PassMountain Pass
Mountain PeakMountain PassMountain Pass
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Desoto Falls Recreation Area7.3 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Upper Chattahoochee River Campground9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Andrew'S Cove Campground11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Cooper Creek Campground (Ga)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
How far is Raven Cliffs Wilderness from Cleveland?
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.