Located in Bath County, Virginia, Douthat State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Clifton Forge, about 9.1 km (5.7 mi) away (Douthat State Park lies N of town).
Douthat State Park is a state park located in the Allegheny Mountains in Virginia. It is in Bath County and Alleghany County. The park is 4,545 acres (18 km2) total with a 50-acre (20 ha) lake, making it the third-largest Virginia state park after Pocahontas State Park and Fairy Stone State Park. It is one of the six original Virginia state parks, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.From the Wikipedia article “Douthat State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Douthat State Park 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 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) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 59° ENE | 8:46 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 120° ESE | 5:04 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Douthat State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 5:08 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:59 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 2:33 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 12:32 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.6 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 74 | 74 | 80 | 89 | 96 | 101 | 104 | 101 | 98 | 97 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 4 | 23 | 31 | 42 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 25 | 17 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Douthat State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered Bridge
Cave
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Coles Point 14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Morris Hill Campground14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Bolar Mountain Recreation Area16.7 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Mcclintic Point16.7 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Blowing Springs20 km (12 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Douthat State Park?
What time is golden hour at Douthat State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Douthat State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Douthat State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Douthat State Park?
How far is Douthat State Park from Clifton Forge?
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.