Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens — a botanical garden in Jeff Davis County, Texas — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.6 km (4.7 mi) SE of Fort Davis.
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens (507 acres) is a nonprofit nature center with botanical gardens on the grounds of the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, the parent organization. It is located off Texas State Highway 118 about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Fort Davis, Texas, United States. The Center is open Monday through Saturday, except major holidays. An admission fee is charged.From the Wikipedia article “Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:00 AM | 90° E | 8:07 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:54 AM | 62° ENE | 9:02 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:44 AM | 89° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 117° ESE | 5:59 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 10m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:28 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:29 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 7:42 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:38 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:28 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 7:04 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:48 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:10 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 07m |
| July | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:27 PM | 13h 56m |
| August | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:04 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 7:16 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:34 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:31 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 11m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 6:15 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 6:44 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 5:57 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:37 PM – 5:07 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 1:45 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:23 PM – 11:43 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:45 PM – 9:45 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (43%). June 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 | 79 | 86 | 91 | 98 | 103 | 107 | 105 | 103 | 99 | 93 | 85 | 78 |
| Low °F | 17 | 7 | 17 | 30 | 32 | 55 | 58 | 56 | 47 | 24 | 18 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
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 botanical garden
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens, closest first.
FAQ
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.