Brink — a ghost town in Greenbrier County, West Virginia at about 536 m (1,759 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 6.9 km (4.3 mi) NW of White Sulphur Springs.
Brink is a ghost town in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. Brink was located on the Greenbrier River 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of White Sulphur Springs. Brink appeared on USGS maps as late as 1923. The town was founded by Brinkley M. Snodgrass in 1865–66. An abandoned house and church near Loopemount are all that remain of the settlement.From the Wikipedia article “Brink, Greenbrier County, West Virginia”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Brink 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) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 59° ENE | 8:48 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 120° ESE | 5:06 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:28 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Brink, 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 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 | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:56 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:10 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:33 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 8:32 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.67 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 October as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 95 | 93 | 78 | 75 |
| Low °F | -5 | -3 | -5 | 20 | 28 | 38 | 49 | 44 | 33 | 23 | 10 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
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 ghost town
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Brink, closest first.
Ghost Town
Scenic Viewpoint
CaveGhost Town
Wilderness AreaScenic Viewpoint
Covered Bridge
Cave
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blue Bend Rec Area10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Blue Meadow12.3 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Hopkins Mountain Fireman'S Cabin14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Steel Bridge Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Brink?
What time is golden hour at Brink?
Where does the sun rise and set at Brink?
Can you see the Milky Way from Brink?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Brink?
How far is Brink from White Sulphur Springs?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.