Booker T. Washington National Monument is a National Monument in Virginia. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Booker T. Washington 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:26 PM | 244° | 9h 53m |
| February | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:59 PM | 255° | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 283° | 13h 09m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:21 PM | 295° | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 PM | 301° | 14h 42m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:40 PM | 298° | 14h 28m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:12 PM | 288° | 13h 36m |
| September | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 274° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:43 PM | 260° | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:10 PM | 247° | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:04 PM | 241° | 9h 38m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.1152, -79.7319); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Booker T. Washington, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 14° |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:16 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:23 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 10:33 PM – 4:03 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:37 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:38 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:56 PM – 10:36 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:40 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
Please contact the park at 540/682-0173 during inclement weather conditions to find out about closures.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (63%). 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 monument is located on VA 122 (Booker T. Washington Highway), 22 miles southeast of Roanoke, VA. From I-81 take I-581, then U.S. 220 south from Roanoke to VA 122. From the Blule Ridge Parkway take VA 43 south to VA 122. From Lynchburg take U.S. 460 west to VA 122.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Live Music
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Living History
- Reenactments
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
VA
NC
WV
WV
WV
VA