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36.9338° N80.1845° W779 mBortle 3New York

Smart View Overlook Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Franklin County, Virginia · 779 m (2,556 ft)

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

Located in Franklin County, Virginia, Smart View Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 779 m (2,556 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 15.3 km (9.5 mi) W of Ferrum.

Elevation
779 m
2,556 ft
Nearest town
Ferrum
15.3 km (9.5 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
November
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:10 PM
sunset 6:45 PM

Light at Smart View Overlook

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:39 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
6:03 PM – 6:55 PM
Blue hour AM
7:07 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:55 PM – 7:05 PM
Full darkness
8:05 PM – 6:08 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:44 PM / 1:42 AM
Day length
11h 05m
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 Smart View 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)7:25 AM90° E7:33 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:02 AM60° ENE8:44 PM301° WNW77°14h 42m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:09 AM89° E7:19 PM271° W53°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:31 AM119° ESE5:08 PM241° WSW30°9h 37m

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
January7:05 AM7:34 AM8:13 AM4:49 PM5:28 PM5:56 PM9h 54m
February6:44 AM7:10 AM7:46 AM5:25 PM6:01 PM6:28 PM10h 51m
March7:07 AM7:33 AM8:07 AM6:54 PM7:28 PM7:54 PM11h 56m
April6:20 AM6:47 AM7:22 AM7:21 PM7:55 PM8:22 PM13h 08m
May5:45 AM6:14 AM6:51 AM7:45 PM8:22 PM8:51 PM14h 08m
June5:31 AM6:02 AM6:40 AM8:04 PM8:42 PM9:13 PM14h 41m
July5:44 AM6:14 AM6:51 AM8:03 PM8:41 PM9:11 PM14h 27m
August6:11 AM6:38 AM7:14 AM7:38 PM8:14 PM8:41 PM13h 35m
September6:38 AM7:04 AM7:38 AM6:56 PM7:30 PM7:56 PM12h 26m
October7:03 AM7:29 AM8:04 AM6:10 PM6:45 PM7:12 PM11h 17m
November6:32 AM7:00 AM7:38 AM4:35 PM5:13 PM5:40 PM10h 13m
December6:58 AM7:27 AM8:08 AM4:26 PM5:06 PM5:35 PM9h 39m

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 Smart View Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March 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—-1°—
February5:19 AM – 5:39 AM0.314°SE → SE
March4:25 AM – 5:55 AM1.520°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
September8:58 PM – 10:38 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October8:12 PM – 8:42 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 ≈ 21.47 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 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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Smart View Overlook, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Shortts Knob Overlook2.8 km away · Floyd County · 765 m
Scenic Viewpoint
BRLI Parking Overlook2.8 km away · Floyd County · 765 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Parking Overlook2.9 km away · Floyd County · 829 m
Waterfall
White Falls11 km away · Patrick County · 308 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Pine Spur Overlook13 km away · Franklin County · 825 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Devils Backbone Overlook13 km away · Franklin County · 822 m
Waterfall
Styles Falls18 km away · Floyd County · 551 m
Bob White Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Bob White Covered Bridge18 km away · Patrick County
Fairy Stone State ParkState Park
Fairy Stone State Park18 km away · Henry County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Smart View 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 Smart View Overlook?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:10 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:45 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:04 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Smart View 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 Smart View Overlook?
Yes — the core is visible from March to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Smart 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 Smart View Overlook from Ferrum?
About 15.3 km (9.5 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.