Skinners Gap — a mountain pass in Berkeley County, West Virginia — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 11.0 km (6.8 mi) NNW of Martinsburg.
Skinners Gap (elevation: 650 feet [198 m]) is a mountain pass in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Skinners Gap most likely was named after a local pioneer settler.From the Wikipedia article “Skinners Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Skinners 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) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 58° ENE | 8:43 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
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 | 8:13 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 24m |
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 Skinners 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:43 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:14 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 ≈ 20.89 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
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Skinners Gap, closest first.
State Park
Mountain Peak
Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mccoy'S Ferry Campground6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- North Mountain Hiker-Biker Campsite7.1 km (4.4 mi)
- Licking Creek Hiker-Biker Campsite11.8 km (7.3 mi)
- Cumberland Valley Hiker-Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite12.1 km (7.5 mi)
- Opequon Junction Hiker-Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite12.2 km (7.6 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Skinners Gap?
What time is golden hour at Skinners Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Skinners Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Skinners Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Skinners Gap?
How far is Skinners Gap from Martinsburg?
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.