Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in North Carolina. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Fort Raleigh
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Fort Raleigh. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Ghost Towns (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Fort Raleigh 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 241° (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 | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:12 PM | 244° | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:45 PM | 255° | 10h 54m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 283° | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 294° | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:22 PM | 300° | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 298° | 14h 22m |
| August | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 288° | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 260° | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:57 PM | 248° | 10h 17m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:51 PM | 242° | 9h 44m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.9328, -75.7150); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Fort Raleigh, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 12:03 AM – 4:13 AM | 4.2 | 25° |
| June | 10:12 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.7 | 25° |
| July | 10:06 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:29 PM – 12:29 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:24 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather on the Outer Banks varies seasonally and daily. Please check the National Weather Service at http://www.weather.gov/mhx/ for up-to-date weather forecast information.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). 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
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is located on the northern end of Roanoke Island, north of the town of Manteo, NC.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Theater
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
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