Canyon Rim Boardwalk — a canyon in Fayette County, West Virginia — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 3.1 km (1.9 mi) NE of Fayetteville.
From the National Park Service
Labeled (2) on the Fayetteville - Lansing Trails map Length 0.1 miles/0.16 km (One-way) Difficulty Easy to Strenuous Stairs Trail type Hiking and accessible to the top overlook Trail Description This boardwalk offers scenic views of the gorge and New River Gorge Bridge. An easy walk on a fully accessible ramp leads to the first viewing point, while 178 steps descend to the lower overlook. To reach boardwalk The trail starts at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center parking lot off U.S. Route 19 in Lansing. Follow the sidewalk next to the large stone bulletin board outside the Visitor Center.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Canyon Rim Boardwalk 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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:03 AM | 59° ENE | 8:51 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 120° ESE | 5:09 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Canyon Rim Boardwalk, 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 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 4:23 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 4:04 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 2:38 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 12:37 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:33 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:35 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.8 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 74 | 85 | 84 | 98 | 99 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 80 | 75 |
| Low °F | -3 | -2 | -2 | 21 | 28 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 38 | 26 | 13 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 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 canyon
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Canyon Rim Boardwalk, closest first.
Waterfall
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
State Park
Ghost Town
Rock Formation
State Park
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Brooklyn Campground10.4 km (6.5 mi)
- Battle Run22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Summersville Lake Shelters23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Long Point Campground25 km (16 mi)
- Grandview Shelter 127 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Canyon Rim Boardwalk?
What time is golden hour at Canyon Rim Boardwalk?
Where does the sun rise and set at Canyon Rim Boardwalk?
Can you see the Milky Way from Canyon Rim Boardwalk?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Canyon Rim Boardwalk?
How far is Canyon Rim Boardwalk from Fayetteville?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.