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37.4655° N79.6362° W653 mBortle 3New York

McFalls View Overlook Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Bedford County, Virginia · 653 m (2,142 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

McFalls View Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Bedford County, Virginia at about 653 m (2,142 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Buchanan, about 7.9 km (4.9 mi) away (McFalls View Overlook lies SSE of town).

Elevation
653 m
2,142 ft
Nearest town
Buchanan
7.9 km (4.9 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
October
51% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:07 PM
sunset 6:43 PM

Light at McFalls View Overlook

Live
Sunrise
7:32 AM
Sunset
6:36 PM
Golden hour AM
7:15 AM – 8:07 AM
Golden hour PM
6:00 PM – 6:52 PM
Blue hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:15 AM
Blue hour PM
6:52 PM – 7:02 PM
Full darkness
8:03 PM – 6:05 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:42 PM / 1:38 AM
Day length
11h 04m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At McFalls View 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:23 AM90° E7:31 PM271° W52°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:59 AM59° ENE8:44 PM301° WNW76°14h 45m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:07 AM89° E7:17 PM271° W53°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:30 AM120° ESE5:05 PM241° WSW29°9h 34m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:04 AM7:33 AM8:12 AM4:45 PM5:24 PM5:53 PM9h 52m
February6:42 AM7:09 AM7:45 AM5:22 PM5:58 PM6:25 PM10h 49m
March7:05 AM7:31 AM8:05 AM6:52 PM7:26 PM7:52 PM11h 55m
April6:17 AM6:44 AM7:19 AM7:19 PM7:54 PM8:21 PM13h 09m
May5:41 AM6:10 AM6:48 AM7:44 PM8:21 PM8:50 PM14h 11m
June5:27 AM5:58 AM6:37 AM8:03 PM8:42 PM9:13 PM14h 44m
July5:40 AM6:10 AM6:48 AM8:02 PM8:40 PM9:10 PM14h 30m
August6:08 AM6:35 AM7:11 AM7:37 PM8:13 PM8:40 PM13h 37m
September6:35 AM7:01 AM7:36 AM6:54 PM7:28 PM7:54 PM12h 27m
October7:01 AM7:27 AM8:02 AM6:07 PM6:43 PM7:09 PM11h 16m
November6:31 AM6:59 AM7:37 AM4:31 PM5:09 PM5:37 PM10h 10m
December6:57 AM7:27 AM8:07 AM4:22 PM5:02 PM5:32 PM9h 36m

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 McFalls View Overlook, 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 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:17 AM – 5:37 AM0.313°SE → SE
March4:24 AM – 5:54 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:27 AM – 5:07 AM2.723°SE → S
May12:26 AM – 4:16 AM3.824°SE → S
June10:36 PM – 3:56 AM5.324°SE → SSW
July10:30 PM – 2:40 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:50 PM – 12:30 AM2.723°S → SW
September8:57 PM – 10:27 PM1.520°SSW → SW
October8:10 PM – 8:30 PM0.313°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.41 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 51% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (63%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F747480899610110410198978276
Low °F0-3423314253503725175
Precip. (in)2.83.03.43.84.44.24.13.64.33.73.53.6

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

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 McFalls View Overlook, closest first.

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Goose Creek Valley Overlook1.4 km away · Bedford County · 590 m
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Porters Mountain Overlook2.3 km away · Bedford County · 635 m
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Mills Gap Overlook4.5 km away · Bedford County · 736 m
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Purgatory Overlook4.8 km away · Botetourt County · 733 m
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Parking Overlook4.8 km away · Bedford County · 732 m
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Flat Top Mountain Overlook5.0 km away · Bedford County · 760 m
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Fallingwater Cascades Parking Area5.0 km away · Bedford County · 787 m
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Sharp Top Overlook5.0 km away · Bedford County · 708 m
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Fallingwater Overlook5.0 km away · Botetourt County · 776 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph McFalls View Overlook?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
What time is golden hour at McFalls View Overlook?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:07 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:43 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:02 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at McFalls View Overlook?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from McFalls View Overlook?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at McFalls View Overlook?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is McFalls View Overlook from Buchanan?
About 7.9 km (4.9 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.