Thornton Hollow Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Rappahannock County, Virginia at about 747 m (2,451 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 13.0 km (8.1 mi) ENE of Luray.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Thornton 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 302° (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) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Thornton 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 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.23 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
- 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.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- 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 Thornton Hollow Overlook, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mathews Arm Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Camp Roosevelt17.5 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Little Fort21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Big Meadows Campground - Shenandoah (Va)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Elizabeth Furnace24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Thornton Hollow Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Thornton Hollow Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Thornton Hollow Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Thornton Hollow Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Thornton Hollow Overlook?
How far is Thornton Hollow Overlook from Luray?
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.