Kerr Lake State Recreation Area — a state park in Vance County, North Carolina — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 13.5 km (8.4 mi) N of Henderson.
Kerr Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in Vance and Warren counties, North Carolina, in the United States. Located north of Henderson near the North Carolina-Virginia border, it includes 3,376 acres (13.66 km2) of woodlands along the shores of the 50,000-acre (202 km2) man-made Kerr Lake. The lake, and thus the park, are named for Congressman John H. Kerr, who supported the original lake project.From the Wikipedia article “Kerr Lake State Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kerr Lake State Recreation Area 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) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 60° ENE | 8:36 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 119° ESE | 5:02 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:57 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:08 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:39 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:31 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:34 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.33 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 77 | 84 | 89 | 95 | 105 | 105 | 104 | 100 | 101 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | 7 | 4 | -2 | 24 | 35 | 47 | 56 | 53 | 41 | 27 | 19 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, closest first.
Lake
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Dark Sky PlaceCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Island Creek Park14.1 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Grassy Creek Park14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Ivy Hill Park14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Palmer Point Park15.3 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- North Bend Park16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kerr Lake State Recreation Area?
What time is golden hour at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kerr Lake State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area?
How far is Kerr Lake State Recreation Area from Henderson?
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.