Big Branch Falls — a waterfall in Summers County, West Virginia — is a lesser-known 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 4.6 km (2.9 mi) away (Big Branch Falls lies NNW of town).
From the National Park Service
New River Gorge Waterfall Tour Stop 7:
Big Branch Creek is a feeder creek for the New River near the town of Hinton. It has many small cascades and falls which are visible along the Big Branch Trail. The largest of these plunges nearly 30 feet down tiered sandstone and is located just a short hike from the Big Branch Trailhead. Hiking is required to reach this falls; Big Branch Falls is not accessible. Directions Big Branch Falls is located on the Big Branch Trail across from the Brooks Fall parking lot.
If Following Waterfall Tour from Glade Creek Falls: Return to WV-41 by following Glade Creek Rd for 5.6 miles. Cross the railroad tracks and take a slight left onto WV-41 S. Continue for 3.9 miles then turn left to continue on WV-41 S for 4.5 miles. Turn left onto E Beckley Bypass and follow 3.3 miles to I-64 E. Follow signs for I-64 E and merge onto the interstate. Follow for 13.8 miles to exit 139 for Sandstone. Take a left onto WV-20 S and follow for 10.3 miles to the town of Hinton. Continue through the town of Hinton. At the traffic signal in town, turn right onto WV-20 S / Temple Street. Cross the bridge and take a right onto WV-26 / New River Road. The trailhead will be on the left in 3.9 miles across from the Brooks Falls parking lot.
From Sandstone Visitor Center: Take a left out of the visitor center parking lot. Follow WV-20 S for 10.3 miles to the town of Hinton. Continue through the town of Hinton. At the traffic signal in town, turn right onto WV-20 S / Temple Street. Cross the bridge and take a right onto WV-26 / New River Road. The trailhead will be on the left in 3.9 miles across from the Brooks Falls parking lot.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Branch Falls 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 | 8:49 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| 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
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 | 8:18 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 51m |
| 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 45m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 31m |
| 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 | 7:04 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:13 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 Big Branch Falls, 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 ≈ 21.33 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 waterfall
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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.
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 Big Branch Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfall
State Park
Ghost Town
State ParkGhost TownWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bluestone Lake Picnic Shelter9.2 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Playground Shelter19.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 119.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 419.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 319.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Branch Falls?
What time is golden hour at Big Branch Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Branch Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Branch Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Branch Falls?
How far is Big Branch Falls 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.