Located in Culberson County, Texas, McKittrick Canyon is a canyon. It lies in or next to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Carlsbad, about 70 km (43 mi) away (McKittrick Canyon lies SW of town).
McKittrick Canyon is a scenic canyon within the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and Eddy County, New Mexico. The steep, towering walls of McKittrick Canyon protect a rich riparian oasis in the midst of the Chihuahuan Desert. The majority of McKittrick Canyon is part of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but is separated from the main park area and managed as a day-use only area with limited visitation hours. A large part of North McKittrick Canyon, though, is located in the Guadalupe Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico. Access to McKittrick Canyon is by a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) gated side road that leads to the mouth of McKittrick Canyon from U.S. Route 62/180. Here, the National Park Service maintains a parking area, restroom facilities, and visitor center, which is staffed most of the year by volunteers.From the Wikipedia article “McKittrick Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At McKittrick Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:04 AM | 90° E | 8:11 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:54 AM | 62° ENE | 9:09 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:48 AM | 89° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:56 AM | 118° ESE | 6:00 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 03m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:37 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:44 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 7:17 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 7:46 AM | 8:10 AM | 8:42 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:32 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 7:06 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:17 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:35 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:34 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 6:59 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:10 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 7:19 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:31 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:38 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:36 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:30 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 04m |
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 McKittrick Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 5:28 AM – 6:18 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:39 AM – 6:39 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 6:04 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:47 PM – 5:07 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 1:43 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 9:29 PM – 11:39 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:49 PM – 9:39 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.9 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 (49%). 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 | 78 | 86 | 92 | 99 | 104 | 109 | 109 | 108 | 101 | 95 | 86 | 79 |
| Low °F | 16 | 9 | 18 | 29 | 35 | 57 | 60 | 58 | 48 | 26 | 19 | 14 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 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 canyon
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. 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 McKittrick Canyon, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dog Canyon Campground7.5 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Frijole Horse Corral Campground9.8 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
- Tejas Wilderness Campground10.1 km (6.3 mi)
- Tejas Wilderness Campground10.1 km (6.3 mi)
- Pine Springs Campground11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph McKittrick Canyon?
What time is golden hour at McKittrick Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at McKittrick Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from McKittrick Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at McKittrick Canyon?
How far is McKittrick Canyon from Carlsbad?
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.