Anicient Tulip-tree Liriodendron tulipifera grove in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.
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35.3736° N83.9756° WBortle 3New York

Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Graham County, North Carolina

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Notneb82 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Graham County, North Carolina, Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) NW of Andrews.

Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, created in 1975, covers 19,246 acres (78 km2) in the Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina and the Cherokee National Forest in East Tennessee, in the watersheds of the Slickrock and Little Santeetlah Creeks. It is named after Joyce Kilmer, author of the poem "Trees". The Little Santeetlah and Slickrock watersheds contain 5,926 acres (23.98 km2) of old-growth forest, one of the largest tracts in the Eastern United States.From the Wikipedia article “Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Andrews
24 km (15 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
October
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:28 PM
sunset 7:02 PM

Light at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
7:47 AM
Sunset
6:56 PM
Golden hour AM
7:31 AM – 8:22 AM
Golden hour PM
6:21 PM – 7:12 PM
Blue hour AM
7:21 AM – 7:31 AM
Blue hour PM
7:12 PM – 7:21 PM
Full darkness
8:21 PM – 6:23 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:56 PM / 2:02 AM
Day length
11h 09m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:40 AM90° E7:48 PM271° W55°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:22 AM60° ENE8:55 PM300° WNW78°14h 33m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:25 AM89° E7:34 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:42 AM119° ESE5:28 PM242° WSW31°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

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:17 AM7:45 AM8:23 AM5:09 PM5:47 PM6:15 PM10h 02m
February6:57 AM7:23 AM7:59 AM5:43 PM6:19 PM6:45 PM10h 55m
March7:22 AM7:48 AM8:21 AM7:10 PM7:44 PM8:09 PM11h 56m
April6:38 AM7:04 AM7:38 AM7:35 PM8:09 PM8:35 PM13h 05m
May6:04 AM6:32 AM7:09 AM7:58 PM8:34 PM9:02 PM14h 01m
June5:51 AM6:21 AM6:59 AM8:16 PM8:53 PM9:23 PM14h 32m
July6:04 AM6:33 AM7:10 AM8:15 PM8:52 PM9:21 PM14h 19m
August6:29 AM6:56 AM7:31 AM7:52 PM8:26 PM8:53 PM13h 30m
September6:54 AM7:19 AM7:53 AM7:11 PM7:45 PM8:10 PM12h 25m
October7:17 AM7:43 AM8:17 AM6:28 PM7:02 PM7:28 PM11h 19m
November6:45 AM7:12 AM7:49 AM4:54 PM5:31 PM5:58 PM10h 19m
December7:10 AM7:38 AM8:18 AM4:46 PM5:25 PM5:54 PM9h 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 Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:24 AM – 5:54 AM0.515°SE → SE
March4:28 AM – 6:18 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April2:28 AM – 5:28 AM3.026°SE → S
May12:33 AM – 4:43 AM4.226°SE → SSW
June10:40 PM – 4:30 AM5.826°SE → SW
July10:36 PM – 3:06 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August9:59 PM – 12:59 AM3.026°S → SW
September9:10 PM – 11:00 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October8:27 PM – 9:07 PM0.715°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.64 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 (65%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6871818087101999795928172
Low °F-3-11021314248473623126
Precip. (in)4.45.34.54.84.44.75.54.14.33.54.35.3

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 wilderness area

  • Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
  • 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.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

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 Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, closest first.

Mountain Pass
Beech Gap6.3 km away · Graham County · 1,366 m
Citico Creek WildernessWilderness Area
Citico Creek Wilderness7.6 km away · Monroe County
Hooper BaldMountain Peak
Hooper Bald7.7 km away · Graham County · 1,655 m
Waterfall
Lower Falls9.0 km away · Monroe County · 390 m
Waterfall
Upper Falls12 km away · Graham County · 1,113 m
Waterfall
Big Falls12 km away · Graham County · 1,027 m
Waterfall
Middle Falls12 km away · Graham County · 1,074 m
Waterfall
Sassafras Falls13 km away · Graham County · 1,032 m
Deals Gap, North CarolinaMountain Pass
Deals Gap, North Carolina13 km away · Blount County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:28 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:02 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:17 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness from Andrews?
About 24 km (15 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.