Upper Falls — a waterfall in Kanawha County, West Virginia at about 174 m (571 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:05 AM | 59° ENE | 8:55 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:42 AM | 120° ESE | 5:11 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:00 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:46 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Upper Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:42 AM – 6:02 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:37 AM – 4:27 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:49 PM – 3:59 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:42 PM – 2:42 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 12:41 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 10:36 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 8:38 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.25 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.
- 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 Upper Falls, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Falls?
What time is golden hour at Upper Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Falls?
How far is Upper Falls from Tornado?
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.