Drift Falls — a waterfall in Transylvania County, North Carolina — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) SW of Brevard.
Drift Falls, also known as Bust-Yer-Butt Falls and Driftwood Falls, is a waterfall located on private property off of U.S. Route 64 in Transylvania County, North Carolina. It is on the Horsepasture River, upstream from Rainbow Falls and Turtleback Falls. It is accessible from the Rainbow Falls Trail, which passes through Gorges State Park and Nantahala National Forest on the way. The falls was once a popular place to swim and slide down; however, the property it is on has since changed hands and now, only a view from downstream is accessible.From the Wikipedia article “Drift Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Drift Falls 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 60° ENE | 8:50 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 119° ESE | 5:24 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 47m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Drift Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 5:10 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 6:14 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:48 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:35 PM – 4:25 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 3:00 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 1:05 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 10:56 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 9:03 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.55 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 79 | 81 | 88 | 101 | 100 | 98 | 94 | 92 | 80 | 72 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 5 | 21 | 32 | 42 | 49 | 47 | 35 | 24 | 9 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.8 |
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 waterfall
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Drift Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
State Park
Waterfall
Mountain Pass
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Balsam Lake Lodge 19.9 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Cherry Hill Campground20 km (12 mi) · reservable
- Kuykendall Group Camp22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Cliffside Lake Shelters24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Van Hook Glade25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Drift Falls?
What time is golden hour at Drift Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Drift Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Drift Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Drift Falls?
How far is Drift Falls from Brevard?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.