Located in Loudoun County, Virginia, Snickers Gap is a mountain pass. The nearest town is Purcellville, about 11.5 km (7.1 mi) away (Snickers Gap lies WSW of town).
Snickers Gap, originally William's Gap, is a wind gap in the Blue Ridge Mountain on the border of Loudoun County and Clarke County in Virginia. The gap is traversed by Virginia State Route 7. The Appalachian Trail also passes across the gap. Bear's Den and Raven Rocks are adjacent to the gap. During the autumn bird migration the gap is a favored spot for birdwatchers to count and study the many raptors that follow the ridge on their way south.From the Wikipedia article “Snickers Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Snickers 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) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 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 | 7:30 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 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 Snickers 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 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 | 5:18 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 19° | 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 | 10:38 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.3 | 19° | 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: 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 ≈ 20.53 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
- 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.
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Snickers Gap, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain PassMountain Pass
State ParkMountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Cave
Botanical Garden
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Snickers Gap?
What time is golden hour at Snickers Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Snickers Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Snickers Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Snickers Gap?
How far is Snickers 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.