Timeline
16:49
Pick up a local tea or coffee and a beer. River Bend House of Brews is right next door, making it the perfect pre-show warm-up spot.
17:09
Find the boardwalk directly behind the Civic Center. The old gristmill water wheel is still turning, even though the water is pumped. Get your footing on the wooden planks and look west.
17:19
The sun sets toward the WSW. Watch the light fade behind the water wheel and the river. The golden light starts around 16:43, so you have been in position for a while, but this is the main event.
17:34
Stay for the afterglow. The café stays open until 18:00 on weekdays, so you can finish your drink while the last bits of light linger.
Local tip
The water wheel is the key visual anchor. Position yourself so the wheel is in the foreground and the river/sky is the background for the best sunset shots.
Check before you go
- River Bend House of Brews closes at 18:00 on Wednesday. If you are visiting on a Friday or Saturday, it stays open until 23:00, giving you more time to linger after the sun goes down.
Worth knowing
- River Bend House of Brews is open at 16:49 only on Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa
- River Bend House of Brews is open at 17:34 only on Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Monticello (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).