Located in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, Watoga State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Marlinton, about 14.2 km (8.8 mi) away (Watoga State Park lies SSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Watoga State Park is a state park located near Seebert in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. The largest of West Virginia's state parks, it covers slightly over 10,100 acres (41 km2). Nearby parks include the Greenbrier River Trail, which is adjacent to the park, Beartown State Park, and Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park. Also immediately adjacent to the park is the 9,482-acre Calvin Price State Forest. It is one of the darkest night skies of all of West Virginia State Parks.From the Wikipedia article “Watoga State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Watoga 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (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 | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 59° ENE | 8:48 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| 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 | 5:05 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Watoga 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 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:56 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:10 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:20 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 4:01 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| 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 | 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 8:32 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 ≈ 21.81 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
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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 Watoga State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Covered Bridge
Wilderness Area
State Park
State Park
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallGhost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Day Run Campground13.8 km (8.6 mi)
- Pocahontas Campground16.0 km (9.9 mi)
- Lake Sherwood16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Hopkins Mountain Fireman'S Cabin19.6 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
- Bolar Mountain Recreation Area21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Watoga State Park?
What time is golden hour at Watoga State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Watoga State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Watoga State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Watoga State Park?
How far is Watoga State Park 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.