Butcher Branch Falls is a waterfall in Fayette County, West Virginia. It lies in or next to New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 2.7 km (1.7 mi) E of Fayetteville.
From the National Park Service
New River Gorge Waterfall Tour Stop 4:
Butcher Branch Falls is created from a small creek flowing down tiered sandstone in multiple cascades. This falls is rainfall dependent and may not be flowing in drier weather. Hiking is required to reach this falls; Butcher Branch Falls is not accessible. Directions: Butcher Branch Falls is located on the Butcher Branch Trail which starts from the Kaymoor Top Trailhead.
If Following Waterfall Tour from Wolf Creek Falls: Return to Fayette Station Road and continue on the one-way road until it intersects with US-19. Turn right onto US-19 then turn left onto WV-16 at the traffic signal. Continue 0.7 miles through the town of Fayetteville. Turn left onto Gatewood Rd. Follow Gatewood Rd 1.9 miles and take a left onto Kaymoor Rd following signs for Kaymoor Top. Continue for 0.6 miles until the road comes to a T. Take a left to reach the trailhead parking lot.
From Canyon Rim Visitor Center: From the parking lot, head back to US-19 and take a left to head south. Continue across the bridge and take a left onto WV-16. Continue 0.7 miles through the town of Fayetteville. Turn left onto Gatewood Rd. Follow Gatewood Rd 1.9 miles and take a left onto Kaymoor Rd following signs for Kaymoor Top. Continue for 0.6 miles until the road comes to a T and take a left to reach the trailhead parking lot.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Butcher 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 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:03 AM | 59° ENE | 8:51 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 120° ESE | 5:09 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 31m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Butcher 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 4:23 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 4:04 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 2:38 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 12:37 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: 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 ≈ 20.72 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 72 | 74 | 85 | 84 | 98 | 99 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 80 | 75 |
| Low °F | -3 | -2 | -2 | 21 | 28 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 38 | 26 | 13 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
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.
- 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.
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 Butcher Branch Falls, closest first.
Ghost Town
Canyon
Ghost Town
State Park
Ghost Town
Rock Formation
State Park
Waterfall
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Brooklyn Campground8.3 km (5.2 mi)
- Battle Run24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 124 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 424 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Grandview Shelter 324 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Butcher Branch Falls?
What time is golden hour at Butcher Branch Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Butcher Branch Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Butcher Branch Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Butcher Branch Falls?
How far is Butcher Branch Falls from Fayetteville?
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.