Greenbrier River Trail is a state park in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
The Greenbrier River Trail (GRT), is a lineal state park comprising a 77.1-mile (124.1 km) rail trail between North Caldwell and Cass in eastern West Virginia, United States. The GRT route and its contours were originally engineered by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, serving as a passenger and freight line before becoming unviable after the Great Depression. The right of way was gifted to the State of West Virginia in the late 1970s and the former railbed reopened in 1980 as a recreational multi-use trail.From the Wikipedia article “Greenbrier River Trail”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Greenbrier River Trail 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 59° ENE | 8:48 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 120° ESE | 5:04 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Greenbrier River Trail, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:20 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:42 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:35 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 12:34 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 8:31 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.82 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 September as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 71 | 78 | 81 | 98 | 92 | 97 | 95 | 94 | 91 | 77 | 74 |
| Low °F | -6 | -5 | -4 | 19 | 26 | 38 | 48 | 45 | 36 | 25 | 13 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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 Greenbrier River Trail, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
State ParkGhost Town
State Park
Covered Bridge
Wilderness Area
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Day Run Campground1.4 km (0.9 mi)
- Pocahontas Campground17.2 km (10.7 mi)
- Tea Creek Campground18.1 km (11.2 mi)
- Lake Sherwood25 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Blowing Springs25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Greenbrier River Trail?
What time is golden hour at Greenbrier River Trail?
Where does the sun rise and set at Greenbrier River Trail?
Can you see the Milky Way from Greenbrier River Trail?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Greenbrier River Trail?
How far is Greenbrier River Trail from Marlinton?
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.