Big Frog Wilderness is a wilderness area in Polk County, Tennessee. The nearest town is McCaysville, about 15.5 km (9.6 mi) away (Big Frog Wilderness lies W of town).
The Big Frog Wilderness was designated in 1984 and currently consists of 8,082 acres (32.71 km2). Approximately 89 acres (360,000 m2) are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately 7,993 acres (32 km2) are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. The Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service in Tennessee and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The highest elevation in the Big Frog Wilderness is the 4,224-foot (1,287 m) peak of Big Frog Mountain in Tennessee. Although not a high mountain, Big Frog seems to dominate the Wilderness because it stands alone. The Wilderness borders the Cohutta Wilderness, which is located in Georgia. The Georgia portion of the Big Frog Wilderness is the smallest wilderness area in Georgia.From the Wikipedia article “Big Frog Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Frog 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 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:25 AM | 60° ENE | 8:56 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 119° ESE | 5:31 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:25 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:23 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:55 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 6:07 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Big Frog 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 6:20 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 4:54 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:41 PM – 4:31 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 3:06 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 1:11 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 11:02 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:29 PM – 9:09 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 ≈ 21.5 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 75 | 83 | 85 | 92 | 107 | 104 | 102 | 100 | 97 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 2 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 52 | 52 | 38 | 25 | 17 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.5 |
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
- 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.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Big Frog Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassMountain PassMountain PassMountain PassMountain PassMountain PassMountain PassMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cottonwood Patch Campground9.0 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Cottonwood Patch Campground9.0 km (5.6 mi)
- Thunder Rock Campground10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Parksville Lake Rv Campground14.0 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Jacks River Fields Campground14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Frog Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Big Frog Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Frog Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Frog Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Frog Wilderness?
How far is Big Frog Wilderness from McCaysville?
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.