Hungry Mother State Park is a state park in Smyth County, Virginia. The nearest town is Marion, about 5.4 km (3.4 mi) away (Hungry Mother State Park lies NNW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hungry Mother State Park is a state park in southwestern Virginia. The park's main feature is a 108-acre lake with a sandy beach. Opened in June 1936, Hungry Mother State Park is one of the six original Virginia state parks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early-mid 1930s.From the Wikipedia article “Hungry Mother State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hungry Mother 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) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:08 AM | 60° ENE | 8:49 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 119° ESE | 5:14 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 | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:02 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:36 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Hungry Mother State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March 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 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 | 5:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 5:13 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:30 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:44 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 12:45 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:43 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:17 PM – 8:47 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: 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 ≈ 21.17 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 70 | 71 | 79 | 82 | 90 | 96 | 96 | 99 | 94 | 92 | 78 | 72 |
| Low °F | -4 | -5 | 0 | 21 | 30 | 39 | 50 | 46 | 34 | 23 | 10 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 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.
- 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 Hungry Mother State Park, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
State Park
Wilderness Area
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Raccoon Branch Campground17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Hurricane Campground18.1 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Fox Creek Horse Camp21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Old Virginia Group Horse Camp21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Grindstone22 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hungry Mother State Park?
What time is golden hour at Hungry Mother State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hungry Mother State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hungry Mother State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hungry Mother State Park?
How far is Hungry Mother State Park from Marion?
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.