Maymont Park is a botanical garden in City of Richmond, Virginia. The nearest town is Richmond, about 2.6 km (1.6 mi) away (Maymont Park lies SW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Maymont is a 100-acre (40 ha) Victorian estate and public park in Richmond, Virginia. It contains Maymont Mansion, now a historic house museum, an arboretum, an Italian and Japanese garden, a carriage collection, native wildlife exhibits, a nature center, and a petting zoo. In 1893, James H. Dooley, a wealthy Richmond lawyer and philanthropist, and his wife, Sallie, completed their elaborate Gilded Age estate on a site high above the James River. According to their wishes, after their deaths Maymont was left to the people of Richmond. Over the next 75 years, additional attractions were added.From the Wikipedia article “Maymont”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Maymont Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Maymont Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.52 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and May 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 | 75 | 77 | 83 | 95 | 98 | 102 | 107 | 105 | 100 | 100 | 81 | 76 |
| Low °F | 3 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 35 | 46 | 54 | 53 | 42 | 29 | 20 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
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 botanical garden
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Maymont Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Maymont Park?
What time is golden hour at Maymont Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Maymont Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Maymont Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Maymont Park?
How far is Maymont Park from Richmond?
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.