Blue Ridge Parkway is a Parkway in North Carolina, Virginia. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 16 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Blue Ridge
We matched 16 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Blue Ridge. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (12)
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Scenic ViewpointWaterfalls (1)
Mountain Passes (2)
Fire Lookouts (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Blue Ridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:40 PM | 245° | 10h 01m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:12 PM | 255° | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:42 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 283° | 13h 05m |
| May | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 294° | 14h 02m |
| June | 6:15 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 300° | 14h 33m |
| July | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:47 PM | 298° | 14h 20m |
| August | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 288° | 13h 31m |
| September | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 274° | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:37 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:56 PM | 260° | 11h 19m |
| November | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:25 PM | 248° | 10h 18m |
| December | 7:33 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:19 PM | 242° | 9h 46m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.5657, -82.4865); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Blue Ridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:48 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 4:23 AM – 6:13 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 2:23 AM – 5:23 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:38 AM | 4.2 | 26° |
| June | 10:36 PM – 4:26 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 10:31 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 9:54 PM – 12:54 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 9:05 PM – 10:55 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 8:21 PM – 8:51 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
5 Estimated Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow.
Weather & best time to visit
The weather on the parkway can vary widely along its 469-mile route. Precipitation is possible any time of the year. Winter can be cold and snowy, especially at the higher elevations. Spring and fall can have large temperature swings, from near freezing to over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Summers are hot in the lower elevations, but the highest elevations remain cooler. Summertime thunderstorms are common, so be prepared for weather changes.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
The parkway is a 469-mile-long scenic road connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Numerous federal and state highways provide access to the parkway. Milepost markers are positioned every mile along the parkway, starting at 0 in Virginia and ending at 469 in North Carolina. We suggest using a map to identify the area you want to visit, as GPS directions often do not incorporate the parkway's milepost system.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Live Music
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
NC
TN
SC
NC/TN
SC
NC/SC