Tu-Endie-Wei State Park is a state park in Mason County, West Virginia. It sits roughly 700 m SSW of Point Pleasant.
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park is located at the confluence of the Kanawha River and the Ohio River in downtown Point Pleasant, West Virginia, United States. The park commemorates the Battle of Point Pleasant, fought between the settler militia of Virginia and the forces of Shawnee Chief Cornstalk on October 10, 1774. The militia victory by the settlers weakened the alliance between native forces and the British and freed up settlers from western Virginia to cross the Allegheny Mountains and join in the American Revolutionary War. The name "Tu-Endie-Wei" refers to the Wyandot Indian phrase meaning "the point between two waters" in English. The Battle of Point Pleasant has been recognized as the first battle of the American Revolutionary War by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution. Female descendants of battle veterans are allowed to join the D.A.R. The historical...From the Wikipedia article “Tu-Endie-Wei State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tu-Endie-Wei State Park 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 302° (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) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 59° ENE | 8:58 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 120° ESE | 5:11 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:00 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, 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 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:36 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:45 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 5:11 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:42 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:54 PM – 4:04 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:47 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 12:34 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 8:41 PM | 0.3 | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.4 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 49% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 72 | 74 | 83 | 84 | 96 | 103 | 107 | 103 | 101 | 96 | 83 | 72 |
| Low °F | -4 | -3 | 5 | 22 | 31 | 40 | 52 | 50 | 39 | 26 | 15 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 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
- 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 Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Covered Bridge
National Forest
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tu-Endie-Wei State Park?
What time is golden hour at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tu-Endie-Wei State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park?
How far is Tu-Endie-Wei State Park from Point Pleasant?
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.