Located in Jefferson County, Kentucky, Alta Vista is a scenic viewpoint. It lies in or next to Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 3.1 km (1.9 mi) WSW of Saint Matthews.
From the National Park Service
Many subdivisions the Olmsted firm worked on often start as private estates, with a wealthy landowner wanting to profit off their estate. That is the case with Louisville’s Alta Vista, which began as John B. McFerran’s private estate. Olmsted Brothers were hired in 1900 to prepare a subdivision on McFerran’s trotting farm above Bear Grass Creek near Frederick Law Olmsted Sr.’s Cherokee Park.
Today, principal roadways Olmsted Brother laid out, like Maple Road and Alta Vista Road, retain their form, with the exception of a straightened portion of Alta Vista Road, caused by Interstate 64 cutting through part of the property. From McFerren’s time, only Garden Court, also designed by Olmsted Brothers, remains within the subdivision.
Source : "J.B. McFerran," Olmsted Online
For more information and primary resources, please visit: Olmsted Research Guide Online Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alta Vista 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) | 7:47 AM | 90° E | 7:55 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:20 AM | 59° ENE | 9:10 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:31 AM | 89° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 120° ESE | 5:27 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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:30 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:39 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:16 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 7:07 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:29 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:30 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:37 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:06 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:25 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:28 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 31m |
Local time (America/Kentucky/Louisville), 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 Alta Vista, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 5:40 AM – 6:00 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:58 AM – 6:18 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:53 AM – 5:23 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 4:43 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 11:05 PM – 4:15 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:58 PM – 2:58 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 12:57 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:22 PM – 10:52 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:34 PM – 8:54 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.43 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 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 68 | 73 | 80 | 83 | 88 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 99 | 95 | 81 | 71 |
| Low °F | -4 | -7 | -1 | 23 | 30 | 44 | 50 | 50 | 38 | 25 | 13 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Alta Vista, closest first.
Cave
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alta Vista?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Alta Vista?
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How far is Alta Vista from Saint Matthews?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.