Bacon Hollow Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Greene County, Virginia at about 738 m (2,421 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Shenandoah National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Elkton, about 10.3 km (6.4 mi) away (Bacon Hollow Overlook lies SSE of town).
From the National Park Service
Facing south from an elevation of 2,455 ft (748 m), the view from Bacon Hollow Overlook stretches out over a broad hollow that descends to the Piedmont in the distance. The Piedmont is the central region of Virginia between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Coastal Plains. Literally meaning foothills, the Piedmont region is known for its rolling hills and rural character. Maintenance of this view funded Greene County and Hugh and Temple Joyce through the Shenandoah National Park Trust Adopt an Overlook program.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bacon Hollow Overlook 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) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:58 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 | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:25 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 Bacon Hollow Overlook, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:14 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:28 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:25 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.31 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 52% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 73 | 78 | 87 | 93 | 96 | 101 | 98 | 97 | 95 | 80 | 77 |
| Low °F | -3 | -3 | -6 | 22 | 27 | 39 | 50 | 49 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
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
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Bacon Hollow Overlook, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Loft Mountain Campground11.2 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Lewis Mountain Campground15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Big Meadows Campground - Shenandoah (Va)26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bacon Hollow Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Bacon Hollow Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bacon Hollow Overlook?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Bacon Hollow Overlook?
How far is Bacon Hollow Overlook from Elkton?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service, 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.