Flagstaff Mountain Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Carbon County, Pennsylvania at about 400 m (1,312 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) S of Jim Thorpe.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Flagstaff Mountain Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 58° ENE | 8:39 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 121° ESE | 4:39 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 50m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 16m |
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 Flagstaff Mountain Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | 5:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:31 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 3:46 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:23 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 1:54 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 11:56 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 9:57 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 7:55 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 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 ≈ 19.6 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 65 | 73 | 76 | 90 | 89 | 95 | 104 | 101 | 97 | 94 | 78 | 71 |
| Low °F | -7 | -11 | -8 | 21 | 28 | 41 | 49 | 50 | 38 | 24 | 10 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
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
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Flagstaff Mountain Overlook, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
State Park
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Flagstaff Mountain Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Flagstaff Mountain Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Flagstaff Mountain Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Flagstaff Mountain Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Flagstaff Mountain Overlook?
How far is Flagstaff Mountain Overlook from Jim Thorpe?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.