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37.0815° N80.2659° W551 mBortle 4New York

Styles Falls Photography Guide

Waterfall in Floyd County, Virginia · 551 m (1,808 ft)

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Mar–Oct

Located in Floyd County, Virginia, Styles Falls is a waterfall at about 551 m (1,808 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 9.7 km (6.0 mi) S of Shawsville.

Elevation
551 m
1,808 ft
Nearest town
Shawsville
9.7 km (6.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
October
54% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:11 PM
sunset 6:46 PM

Light at Styles Falls

Live
Sunrise
7:34 AM
Sunset
6:39 PM
Golden hour AM
7:18 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
6:04 PM – 6:55 PM
Blue hour AM
7:08 AM – 7:18 AM
Blue hour PM
6:55 PM – 7:05 PM
Full darkness
8:06 PM – 6:08 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:44 PM / 1:42 AM
Day length
11h 05m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Styles 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:26 AM90° E7:33 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:02 AM60° ENE8:45 PM301° WNW76°14h 43m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:10 AM89° E7:20 PM271° W53°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:32 AM119° ESE5:08 PM241° WSW29°9h 37m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:06 AM7:34 AM8:14 AM4:49 PM5:28 PM5:56 PM9h 54m
February6:44 AM7:11 AM7:47 AM5:25 PM6:01 PM6:28 PM10h 51m
March7:07 AM7:33 AM8:07 AM6:54 PM7:29 PM7:55 PM11h 56m
April6:21 AM6:47 AM7:22 AM7:21 PM7:56 PM8:23 PM13h 09m
May5:45 AM6:14 AM6:51 AM7:46 PM8:23 PM8:52 PM14h 09m
June5:31 AM6:02 AM6:40 AM8:05 PM8:43 PM9:14 PM14h 42m
July5:44 AM6:14 AM6:51 AM8:04 PM8:42 PM9:12 PM14h 28m
August6:11 AM6:39 AM7:14 AM7:39 PM8:14 PM8:42 PM13h 36m
September6:38 AM7:04 AM7:38 AM6:56 PM7:31 PM7:57 PM12h 27m
October7:03 AM7:29 AM8:04 AM6:11 PM6:46 PM7:12 PM11h 16m
November6:33 AM7:01 AM7:39 AM4:35 PM5:13 PM5:40 PM10h 12m
December6:59 AM7:28 AM8:09 AM4:26 PM5:06 PM5:35 PM9h 38m

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 Styles Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:19 AM – 5:39 AM0.314°SE → SE
March4:25 AM – 5:55 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:18 AM – 5:08 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:25 AM – 4:25 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June10:35 PM – 4:05 AM5.524°SE → SW
July10:29 PM – 2:39 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:50 PM – 12:40 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:58 PM – 10:38 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October8:12 PM – 8:42 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.18 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F707278829295969795937875
Low °F-5-3-520283849443323101
Precip. (in)2.63.23.24.14.54.24.53.23.63.22.93.2

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 waterfall

  • 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.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Styles Falls, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Cahas Overlook14 km away · Franklin County · 916 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Devils Backbone Overlook15 km away · Franklin County · 822 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Pine Spur Overlook16 km away · Franklin County · 825 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Poor Mountain Overlook16 km away · Roanoke County · 916 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Bull Run Knob Overlook17 km away · Franklin County · 879 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Parking Overlook17 km away · Floyd County · 829 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Shags Gap Overlook18 km away · Roanoke County · 873 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Slings Gap Overlook18 km away · Franklin County · 870 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Smart View Overlook18 km away · Franklin County · 779 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Styles Falls?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
What time is golden hour at Styles Falls?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:11 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:46 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:04 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Styles Falls?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Styles Falls?
Yes — the core is visible from March to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Styles Falls?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Styles Falls from Shawsville?
About 9.7 km (6.0 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.