Devils River State Natural Area is a dark sky place in Val Verde County, Texas. The nearest town is Del Rio, about 64 km (40 mi) away (Devils River State Natural Area lies N of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky International.
Devils River State Natural Area is a 37,000-acre (15,000 ha) nature reserve consisting of the sections of three ecosystems, the Edwards Plateau, the Tamaulipan mezquital and the Chihuahuan Desert. It is located in Val Verde County, Texas, United States. Named for the whitewater Devils River that runs alongside it, the Devils River State Natural Area's original boundaries were once part of a 20,000 acre working ranch that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased in 1988. This area is now known as the Del Norte Unit. In 2011, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased an additional 18,000 acres 13 miles south of the Del Norte Unit for $13 million, $9 million of which came from donations. This section is known as the Dan A. Hughes Unit in honor of Dan A. Hughes, who led the fundraising efforts. The Del Norte Unit opened to the public in early 2025.From the Wikipedia article “Devils River State Natural Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Devils River State Natural Area 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 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:48 AM | 90° E | 7:56 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:44 AM | 62° ENE | 8:48 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:33 AM | 89° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 117° ESE | 5:49 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:26 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:16 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:36 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:14 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:47 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 7:05 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:22 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 14m |
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 Devils River State Natural Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 6:32 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 5:12 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:24 PM – 5:04 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 1:33 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:11 PM – 11:31 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:34 PM – 9:34 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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 ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (54%). August 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 | 87 | 99 | 96 | 105 | 107 | 109 | 110 | 110 | 107 | 101 | 94 | 88 |
| Low °F | 21 | 18 | 23 | 35 | 44 | 62 | 66 | 65 | 51 | 36 | 27 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
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 dark sky place
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Devils River State Natural Area, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Devils River State Natural Area?
What time is golden hour at Devils River State Natural Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Devils River State Natural Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Devils River State Natural Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Devils River State Natural Area?
How far is Devils River State Natural Area from Del Rio?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.