Located in Page County, Virginia, Luray Caverns is a cave at about 377 m (1,237 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Shenandoah National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 3.7 km (2.3 mi) W of Luray.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Luray Caverns 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (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) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:43 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 4:57 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Luray Caverns, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:21 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:22 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.64 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 May as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 73 | 78 | 87 | 93 | 96 | 101 | 98 | 97 | 95 | 80 | 77 |
| Low °F | -3 | -3 | -6 | 22 | 27 | 39 | 50 | 49 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
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 cave
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. 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 Luray Caverns, closest first.
Cave
Mountain Pass
Fire Lookout
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Roosevelt7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Big Meadows Campground - Shenandoah (Va)16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Mathews Arm Campground20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Little Fort23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Lewis Mountain Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Luray Caverns?
What time is golden hour at Luray Caverns?
Where does the sun rise and set at Luray Caverns?
Can you see the Milky Way from Luray Caverns?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Luray Caverns?
How far is Luray Caverns from Luray?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.