Shenandoah National Park is a National Park in Virginia. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 56 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Shenandoah
We matched 56 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Shenandoah. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (35)
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WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallMountain Peaks (3)
Caves (3)
Mountain Passes (6)
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
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Mountain Pass
Mountain PassFire Lookouts (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Shenandoah 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 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 243° | 9h 47m |
| February | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:52 PM | 255° | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 283° | 13h 12m |
| May | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 295° | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 301° | 14h 50m |
| July | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:38 PM | 299° | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 289° | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:37 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:02 PM | 247° | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:55 PM | 241° | 9h 30m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.4924, -78.4691); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Shenandoah, 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 23° 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| March | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.2 | 23° |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| August | 9:49 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.5 | 19° |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| 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
Shenandoah National Park has four very distinct seasons. Spring typically brings mild temperatures, rain, and wildflowers. Summer brings lush green forests, but can be hot and very humid. Fall follows with cooler temperatures and spectacular fall foliage. Winter can bring snow and ice. The park spans roughly 100 miles, which means that weather can vary greatly depending on your location. The mountain is usually 10°F cooler than the valley below. Always check the forecast, dress in layers, and be prepared.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (64%). 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.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Shenandoah National Park is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, west of Washington, D.C. It stretches 105 miles and has four entrances: Front Royal (northern entrance), Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap (southern entrance to Shenandoah and the northern entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway). The physical address listed is to the administrative offices, not the Park itself. GPS can be unreliable for navigating to the Park, so we encourage you to check out our website for more info.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
Nearby parks
VA
VA
VA
VA
VA
DC/MD