Brooks Island Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Summers County, West Virginia — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Hinton, about 7.2 km (4.5 mi) away (Brooks Island Overlook lies NNW of town).
From the National Park Service
Brooks Island Overlook peers over the mile-long Brooks Island, a perennial bald eagle nesting site. Since 2010, three mated bald eagle couples have used the established nest in an American sycamore tree to incubate and raise their chicks. Though once listed as a threatened and endangered species, the bald eagle population within the country has steadily improved, and their sightings in the park have become more frequent! Two other nesting sites have been confirmed within the park in more recent years.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Brooks Island 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) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:03 AM | 59° ENE | 8:50 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 120° ESE | 5:09 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Brooks Island 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 | 5:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 4:03 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 2:37 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 12:36 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:33 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:35 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 ≈ 21.58 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 54% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 95 | 93 | 78 | 75 |
| Low °F | -5 | -3 | -5 | 20 | 28 | 38 | 49 | 44 | 33 | 23 | 10 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Brooks Island Overlook, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
State Park
State Park
Rock Formation
Ghost TownGhost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bluestone Lake Picnic Shelter11.8 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Playground Shelter17.0 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 117.0 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 417.0 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 317.0 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Brooks Island Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Brooks Island Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Brooks Island Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Brooks Island Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Brooks Island Overlook?
How far is Brooks Island Overlook from Hinton?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.