Chippokes Plantation State Park is a state park in Surry County, Virginia. It sits roughly 9.0 km (5.6 mi) NNW of Rushmere. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Chippokes State Park (previously known as Chippokes Plantation State Park) is a Virginia state park on the south side of the James River on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. In addition to forests and fossil hunting on the beach, it includes three historic houses (plus outbuildings to each) as well as an open-air agricultural and forestry museum with seasonally appropriate events. Other recreational facilities include a visitor center, swimming pool, hiking trails, cabins, yurts and campgrounds. As of 2020, the yearly visitation was 173,110. It is located at 695 Chippokes Park Road, in rural Surry County, Virginia off Route 10.From the Wikipedia article “Chippokes State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chippokes Plantation State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 119° ESE | 4:54 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 36m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 42m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Chippokes Plantation State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:14 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.7 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 4:13 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:27 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:25 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.3 | 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: 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 ≈ 20.84 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 66 | 68 | 75 | 85 | 92 | 95 | 99 | 97 | 92 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | 13 | 10 | 17 | 33 | 42 | 54 | 65 | 64 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Chippokes Plantation State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chippokes Plantation State Park?
What time is golden hour at Chippokes Plantation State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chippokes Plantation State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chippokes Plantation State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chippokes Plantation State Park?
How far is Chippokes Plantation State Park from Rushmere?
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.