Located in Rockbridge County, Virginia, Whetstone Ridge Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 977 m (3,205 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Stuarts Draft, about 19.9 km (12.4 mi) away (Whetstone Ridge Overlook lies SSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Whetstone Ridge 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 59° ENE | 8:43 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 5:01 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Whetstone Ridge 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 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 5:52 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:37 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 10:26 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:28 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.49 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 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 74 | 74 | 80 | 89 | 96 | 101 | 104 | 101 | 98 | 97 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 4 | 23 | 31 | 42 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 25 | 17 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Whetstone Ridge Overlook, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Wilderness Area
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sherando Lake Recreation Area Family Camping13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Sherando Lake Group Camp16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Sherando Lake Group Picnic Shelter16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Whetstone Ridge Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Whetstone Ridge Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Whetstone Ridge Overlook?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Whetstone Ridge Overlook?
How far is Whetstone Ridge Overlook from Stuarts Draft?
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.