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36.6420° N80.5349° W896 mBortle 3New York

Pilot Mountain Overlook Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Patrick County, Virginia · 896 m (2,940 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: November
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Patrick County, Virginia, Pilot Mountain Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 896 m (2,940 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 13.5 km (8.4 mi) ENE of Cana.

Elevation
896 m
2,940 ft
Nearest town
Cana
13.5 km (8.4 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
November
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:12 PM
sunset 6:47 PM

Light at Pilot Mountain Overlook

Live
Sunrise
7:35 AM
Sunset
6:41 PM
Golden hour AM
7:18 AM – 8:10 AM
Golden hour PM
6:05 PM – 6:57 PM
Blue hour AM
7:08 AM – 7:18 AM
Blue hour PM
6:57 PM – 7:07 PM
Full darkness
8:07 PM – 6:09 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:45 PM / 1:44 AM
Day length
11h 06m
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 Pilot Mountain Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (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 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:27 AM90° E7:34 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:05 AM60° ENE8:45 PM301° WNW77°14h 40m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:11 AM89° E7:21 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:31 AM119° ESE5:10 PM241° WSW30°9h 39m

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
January7:06 AM7:34 AM8:13 AM4:51 PM5:30 PM5:58 PM9h 56m
February6:45 AM7:11 AM7:47 AM5:27 PM6:03 PM6:30 PM10h 52m
March7:08 AM7:34 AM8:08 AM6:56 PM7:30 PM7:56 PM11h 56m
April6:22 AM6:49 AM7:24 AM7:22 PM7:56 PM8:23 PM13h 08m
May5:47 AM6:16 AM6:53 AM7:46 PM8:23 PM8:52 PM14h 07m
June5:33 AM6:04 AM6:42 AM8:05 PM8:43 PM9:14 PM14h 39m
July5:46 AM6:16 AM6:53 AM8:04 PM8:42 PM9:11 PM14h 26m
August6:13 AM6:40 AM7:16 AM7:39 PM8:15 PM8:42 PM13h 34m
September6:39 AM7:05 AM7:39 AM6:57 PM7:31 PM7:57 PM12h 26m
October7:04 AM7:30 AM8:05 AM6:12 PM6:47 PM7:13 PM11h 17m
November6:33 AM7:01 AM7:39 AM4:37 PM5:15 PM5:42 PM10h 14m
December6:59 AM7:28 AM8:08 AM4:28 PM5:08 PM5:37 PM9h 40m

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 Pilot Mountain Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:10 AM – 5:40 AM0.514°SE → SE
March4:26 AM – 6:06 AM1.721°SE → SSE
April2:18 AM – 5:08 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:25 AM – 4:25 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June10:35 PM – 4:05 AM5.524°SE → SW
July10:29 PM – 2:39 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:50 PM – 12:40 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:59 PM – 10:39 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October8:13 PM – 8:43 PM0.514°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 ≈ 21.5 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (61%). 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 °F7375808492999810096968172
Low °F0-2222324353503726146
Precip. (in)3.03.43.54.24.44.44.74.24.23.63.43.6

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

  • 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.
  • 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.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Pilot Mountain Overlook, closest first.

Groundhog Mountain TowerFire Lookout
Groundhog Mountain Tower0.7 km away · Patrick County
Scenic Viewpoint
Parking Overlook0.9 km away · Patrick County · 863 m
Waterfall
Great Falls of Dan10.0 km away · Patrick County · 608 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Round Meadow Overlook13 km away · Patrick County · 854 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Granite Quarry Parking Overlook17 km away · Carroll County · 916 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Grassy Knoll Parking Area18 km away · Patrick County · 902 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Piedmont Overlook19 km away · Carroll County · 879 m
Waterfall
Smith River Falls20 km away · Patrick County · 799 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Grassy Knoll Overlook24 km away · Floyd County · 1,046 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Pilot Mountain Overlook?
November 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 Pilot Mountain Overlook?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:12 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:47 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:05 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Pilot Mountain Overlook?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Pilot Mountain Overlook?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pilot Mountain 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 Pilot Mountain Overlook from Cana?
About 13.5 km (8.4 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.