York River State Park — a state park in James City County, Virginia — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 15.0 km (9.3 mi) N of Williamsburg. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
York River State Park is located near the unincorporated town of Croaker in James City County, Virginia on the south bank of the York River about 10 miles downstream from West Point. The York River is formed from the confluence of the Mattaponi River and the Pamunkey River at West Point. The York River empties into the Chesapeake Bay about 30 miles downstream from Croaker Landing. In the state park, the historical Croaker Landing is an archaeological site listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1987. The name "Croaker" is believed to have derived from the abundant quantity of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), an inshore, bottom-dwelling fish found in the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the York River. The site contains evidence of Native American habitation throughout the Woodland period (c. 1000 B.C. - A.D. 1600). It was listed on the National Register of...From the Wikipedia article “York River State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At York River 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 | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:32 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| 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 | 4:53 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 35m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| 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 | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 36m |
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 York River 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 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 | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 4:04 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:18 PM – 2:28 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 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: 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 ≈ 21.13 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
- 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 York River State Park, closest first.
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National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph York River State Park?
What time is golden hour at York River State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at York River State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from York River State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at York River State Park?
How far is York River State Park from Williamsburg?
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.