Pilot Mountain State Park is a state park in Stokes County, North Carolina. The nearest town is Pilot Mountain, about 5.0 km (3.1 mi) away (Pilot Mountain State Park lies SSW of town).
Pilot Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Surry and Yadkin Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Pinnacle, North Carolina on highway US 52, it covers 3,872 acres (15.67 km2) and includes the distinctive 2,241 foot (683 m) peak of Pilot Mountain.From the Wikipedia article “Pilot Mountain State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pilot Mountain State Park 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) | 6:05 AM | 60° ENE | 8:44 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 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 57m |
| 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 | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 06m |
| 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 | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 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 | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:37 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 Pilot Mountain State Park, 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 ≈ 21.16 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
- 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 Pilot Mountain State Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
State ParkWaterfall
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pilot Mountain State Park?
What time is golden hour at Pilot Mountain State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pilot Mountain State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pilot Mountain State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pilot Mountain State Park?
How far is Pilot Mountain State Park from Pilot Mountain?
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.