Located in Augusta County, Virginia, Rockfish Gap is a mountain pass. It lies in or next to Shenandoah National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Waynesboro, about 4.9 km (3.0 mi) away (Rockfish Gap lies SE of town).
Rockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlottesville and Waynesboro, Virginia, United States, through Afton Mountain, which is frequently used to refer to the gap. Joining the Shenandoah Valley to the Piedmont region of the state, it is the site of the mountain crossing of Interstate 64, U.S. Route 250, and the former Blue Ridge Railroad which later became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and is currently part of the CSX line. With an elevation of about 1,900 feet (580 m), it is one of the lowest gaps between Manassas Gap and the James River. Rockfish Gap lies along a drainage divide between southeast-flowing streams that drain to the James River and northwest-flowing streams in the Shenandoah River system.From the Wikipedia article “Rockfish Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rockfish 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 5:00 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 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
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:36 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Rockfish Gap, 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 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:12 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:14 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:55 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:28 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:26 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: 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 ≈ 20.12 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 mountain pass
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
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 Rockfish Gap, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sherando Lake Group Camp15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Sherando Lake Group Picnic Shelter15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Sherando Lake Recreation Area Family Camping18.3 km (11.4 mi) · reservable
- Loft Mountain Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rockfish Gap?
What time is golden hour at Rockfish Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rockfish Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rockfish Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rockfish Gap?
How far is Rockfish Gap from Waynesboro?
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.