Located in Henry County, Virginia, Fairy Stone State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Bassett, about 9.8 km (6.1 mi) away (Fairy Stone State Park lies WNW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fairy Stone State Park, located in Patrick County, Virginia, is the largest of the original Virginia six state parks that opened on June 15, 1936, and is named for the cross-shaped "fairy stones" (staurolite) commonly found in the vicinity of the park. The park's land was donated in 1933 by Junius B. Fishburn, former president of the Southwest Virginia Trust Co. and former owner of the Roanoke Times. The park is 4,741 acres (19.19 km2), making it the largest of the six original parks and the second largest today after Pocahontas State Park. Some of the park's features, including its lake and many structures still in use, were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.From the Wikipedia article “Fairy Stone State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fairy Stone 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 301° (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) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 60° ENE | 8:43 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 119° ESE | 5:08 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 4:49 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 40m |
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 Fairy Stone State Park, 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 24° 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 | 5:08 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 6:04 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:23 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:33 PM – 4:03 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:37 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:38 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 10:37 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 8:41 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 ≈ 21.41 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 Fairy Stone State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfallScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Goose Point4.1 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Philpott Park5.4 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Salthouse Branch5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Horseshoe Point6.1 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Rock Castle Gorge Backcountry Camping22 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fairy Stone State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fairy Stone State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fairy Stone State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fairy Stone State Park?
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How far is Fairy Stone State Park from Bassett?
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.