Thoroughfare Gap is a mountain pass in Fauquier County, Virginia. The nearest town is New Baltimore, about 6.5 km (4.0 mi) away (Thoroughfare Gap lies N of town).
Thoroughfare Gap is a water gap in the Bull Run Mountains created by Broad Run between High Point Mountain to the north and Bisquit Mountain to the south. It is located on the border of Prince William and Fauquier counties in Virginia. True to its name, the small gap is traversed by Interstate 66, Virginia State Route 55 and the Manassas Gap Railroad. The ruins of historic Beverley Mill are located at the gap. The gap was the site of the 1862 Battle of Thoroughfare Gap during the American Civil War. The Thoroughfare Gap Battlefield was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.From the Wikipedia article “Thoroughfare Gap (Bull Run Mountain)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Thoroughfare 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 75° in summer but only 28° 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) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:40 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 42m |
| 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 | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Thoroughfare Gap, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:04 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:19 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 12:16 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.3 | 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 ≈ 19.98 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 (61%). 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 | 76 | 76 | 81 | 95 | 93 | 100 | 106 | 105 | 99 | 98 | 80 | 76 |
| Low °F | 2 | -2 | -1 | 23 | 32 | 45 | 52 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 20 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Thoroughfare Gap?
What time is golden hour at Thoroughfare Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Thoroughfare Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Thoroughfare Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Thoroughfare Gap?
How far is Thoroughfare Gap from New Baltimore?
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.