Located in Burke County, North Carolina, Linville Falls is a waterfall at about 934 m (3,064 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Spruce Pine, about 13.0 km (8.1 mi) away (Linville Falls lies ENE of town).
Linville Falls is a waterfall located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in the United States. The falls move in several distinct steps, beginning in a twin set of upper falls, moving down a small gorge, and culminating in a high-volume 45-foot (14 m) drop. It is named for the Linville River, which goes over the falls. Linville Falls has the highest volume of any waterfall on the Northern Edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.From the Wikipedia article “Linville Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Linville 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:12 AM | 60° ENE | 8:48 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:13 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Linville Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 6:11 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:38 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:37 PM – 4:17 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:51 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 12:54 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:54 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:49 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.54 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and July 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 | 74 | 76 | 81 | 90 | 96 | 106 | 105 | 106 | 99 | 100 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | 6 | 6 | -1 | 23 | 36 | 46 | 58 | 53 | 40 | 28 | 20 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
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
- 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.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- 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 Linville Falls, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Cave
Wilderness Area
Mountain PeakScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Linville Falls Campground2.1 km (1.3 mi) · reservable
- Mortimer Campground15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Mortimer Campground15.6 km (9.7 mi)
- Julian Price Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Johns River Road Backcountry Camping28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Linville Falls?
What time is golden hour at Linville Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Linville Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Linville Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Linville Falls?
How far is Linville Falls from Spruce Pine?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.