Horne Creek Living Historical Farm — a state park in Surry County, North Carolina — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 10.7 km (6.6 mi) WNW of Tobaccoville. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Horne Creek Farm is a historical farm near Pinnacle, Surry County, North Carolina. The farm is a North Carolina State Historic Site that belongs to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and it is operated to depict farm life in the northwest Piedmont area c. 1900. The historic site includes the late 19th century Hauser Farmhouse, which has been furnished to reflect the 1900-1910 era, along with other supporting structures. The farm raised animal breeds that were common in the early 20th century. The site also includes the Southern Heritage Apple Orchard, which preserves about 800 trees of about 400 heritage apple varieties. A visitor center includes exhibits, a gift shop and offices. The State Historic Site regularly hosts special events, which focus on farm life and techniques from the early 20th century, and include sheep shearing, corn shucking, ice...From the Wikipedia article “Horne Creek Living Historical Farm”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Horne Creek Living Historical Farm 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 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 60° ENE | 8:43 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 119° ESE | 5:11 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 41m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 37m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Horne Creek Living Historical Farm, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:33 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:32 PM – 4:12 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:47 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 12:39 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:38 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:13 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.98 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 73 | 75 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 99 | 98 | 100 | 96 | 96 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | 0 | -2 | 2 | 22 | 32 | 43 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 26 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Horne Creek Living Historical Farm, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Waterfall
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
State ParkWaterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Horne Creek Living Historical Farm?
What time is golden hour at Horne Creek Living Historical Farm?
Where does the sun rise and set at Horne Creek Living Historical Farm?
Can you see the Milky Way from Horne Creek Living Historical Farm?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Horne Creek Living Historical Farm?
How far is Horne Creek Living Historical Farm from Tobaccoville?
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.