Located in Roanoke County, Virginia, Masons Knob Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 434 m (1,424 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Cave Spring, about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away (Masons Knob Overlook lies SSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Masons Knob Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 59° ENE | 8:44 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 119° ESE | 5:07 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 36m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 10m |
| June | 5:29 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 42m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 29m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 37m |
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 Masons Knob Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.7 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:26 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:36 PM – 4:06 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 2:40 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:40 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:38 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 8:31 PM | 0.3 | 14° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.44 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 95 | 93 | 78 | 75 |
| Low °F | -5 | -3 | -5 | 20 | 28 | 38 | 49 | 44 | 33 | 23 | 10 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Masons Knob Overlook, closest first.
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Mountain PassScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Masons Knob Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Masons Knob Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Masons Knob Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Masons Knob Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Masons Knob Overlook?
How far is Masons Knob Overlook from Cave Spring?
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.