Berkeley Springs State Park is a state park in Morgan County, West Virginia. The nearest town is Hancock, about 9.0 km (5.6 mi) away (Berkeley Springs State Park lies SSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Berkeley Springs State Park is a state park situated in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, United States. The centerpiece of the Park is its historic mineral spa. These waters were celebrated for their medicinal or restorative powers and were generally taken internally for digestive disorders, or bathed in for stress relief. Native Americans visited these springs as did George Washington. Berkeley Springs is the only state-run spa in the United States and is operated by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.From the Wikipedia article “Berkeley Springs State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Berkeley Springs State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 58° ENE | 8:45 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 23m |
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 Berkeley Springs State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:45 PM – 3:35 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.33 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 69 | 74 | 78 | 86 | 94 | 95 | 100 | 98 | 97 | 93 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | -7 | -4 | -3 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 49 | 47 | 35 | 19 | 6 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Berkeley Springs State Park, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Rock Formation
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Leopards Mill Hiker-Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite3.0 km (1.9 mi)
- Cacapon Junction Hiker-Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite4.5 km (2.8 mi)
- White Rock Hiker-Biker Campsite5.9 km (3.6 mi)
- Indigo Neck Hiker Biker Overnight (Hbo) Campsite11.2 km (7.0 mi)
- Little Pool Hiker-Biker Campsite11.8 km (7.3 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Berkeley Springs State Park?
What time is golden hour at Berkeley Springs State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Berkeley Springs State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Berkeley Springs State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Berkeley Springs State Park?
How far is Berkeley Springs State Park from Hancock?
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.