Clarke's Gap — a mountain pass in Loudoun County, Virginia — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 4.8 km (3.0 mi) NW of Leesburg.
Clarke's Gap, also known as Clarks Gap, is a pass through Catoctin Mountain west of Leesburg, Virginia. The gap has an elevation of 643 feet (196 m). The gap is not a true wind gap, but rather a man-made railroad cut through a local saddle point between two ridges to the southeast and northwest created by the drainage of Dry Mill Branch of Tuscarora Creek to the east and an unnamed tributary of Catoctin Creek to the west.From the Wikipedia article “Clarke's Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clarke's Gap 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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 59° ENE | 8:41 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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
Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 26m |
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 Clarke's Gap, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 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 6 (bright suburban sky), 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:11 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.2 | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.22 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 68 | 76 | 78 | 89 | 91 | 98 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 78 | 72 |
| Low °F | -3 | -10 | -5 | 22 | 29 | 42 | 52 | 52 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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 mountain pass
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
- Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Warm layers, Road-condition app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Clarke's Gap, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassMountain PassMountain Pass
Mountain PassScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Turtle Run Hiker-Biker Campsite8.1 km (5.0 mi)
- Marble Quarry Hiker-Biker Campsite11.0 km (6.8 mi)
- Chisel Branch Hiker-Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite12.5 km (7.8 mi)
- Calico Rocks Hiker-Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite15.9 km (9.9 mi)
- Indian Flats Hiker-Biker Campsite16.4 km (10.2 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clarke's Gap?
What time is golden hour at Clarke's Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clarke's Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clarke's Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clarke's Gap?
How far is Clarke's Gap from Leesburg?
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.