Located in Loudoun County, Virginia, Hillsboro Gap is a mountain pass. It sits roughly 7.1 km (4.4 mi) N of Purcellville.
Hillsboro Gap, also known as the Gap in the Short Hill, is a water gap in the Short Hill Mountain formed by the North Fork of the Catoctin Creek in Loudoun County, Virginia. The gap derives its name from the town of Hillsboro, which is nestled in the gap. Virginia State Route 9 passes through the gap in the town. In colonial times the main road between Alexandria and Winchester, Vestal's Gap Road, passed through the gap. That road eventually became the Charles Town Pike and modern day Route 9. The gap poses a barrier to any widening of Route 9 as the historic town completely fills the gap.From the Wikipedia article “Hillsboro Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hillsboro Gap the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 | 58° ENE | 8:41 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 5:42 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:46 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 | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:50 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 Hillsboro 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 5 (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 | 5:18 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 3:40 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:12 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:13 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.16 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.
- 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 Hillsboro Gap, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Scenic ViewpointMountain Pass
CaveScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Calico Rocks Hiker-Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite16.2 km (10.1 mi)
- Huckleberry Hill Hiker-Biker Campsite16.5 km (10.2 mi)
- Bald Eagle Island Hiker-Biker Campsite16.6 km (10.3 mi)
- Turtle Run Hiker-Biker Campsite17.3 km (10.7 mi)
- Marble Quarry Hiker-Biker Campsite18.0 km (11.2 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hillsboro Gap?
What time is golden hour at Hillsboro Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hillsboro Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hillsboro Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hillsboro Gap?
How far is Hillsboro Gap from Purcellville?
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.