Red River Station
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33.8731° N97.8086° WBortle 3Chicago

Red River Station Photography Guide

Ghost Town in Montague County, Texas

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Pi3.124 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Red River Station is a ghost town in Montague County, Texas. It sits roughly 12.3 km (7.6 mi) NW of Nocona.

Red River Station is a ghost town south of the Red River at Salt Creek in northwestern Montague County, Texas, United States.From the Wikipedia article “Red River Station, Texas”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Nocona
12.3 km (7.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
37% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:25 PM
sunset 6:59 PM

Light at Red River Station

Live
Sunrise
7:41 AM
Sunset
6:53 PM
Golden hour AM
7:25 AM – 8:15 AM
Golden hour PM
6:19 PM – 7:08 PM
Blue hour AM
7:16 AM – 7:25 AM
Blue hour PM
7:08 PM – 7:18 PM
Full darkness
8:16 PM – 6:18 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:51 PM / 2:02 AM
Day length
11h 12m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Red River Station the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:36 AM90° E7:43 PM271° W56°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:22 AM61° ENE8:46 PM299° WNW80°14h 25m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:20 AM89° E7:30 PM271° W56°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:33 AM118° ESE5:27 PM242° WSW33°9h 54m

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

Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:10 AM7:37 AM8:14 AM5:08 PM5:46 PM6:13 PM10h 09m
February6:51 AM7:17 AM7:51 AM5:41 PM6:16 PM6:41 PM10h 59m
March7:18 AM7:43 AM8:16 AM7:06 PM7:39 PM8:04 PM11h 57m
April6:35 AM7:01 AM7:35 AM7:29 PM8:03 PM8:28 PM13h 02m
May6:03 AM6:31 AM7:06 AM7:51 PM8:26 PM8:54 PM13h 55m
June5:52 AM6:21 AM6:58 AM8:08 PM8:44 PM9:14 PM14h 24m
July6:04 AM6:32 AM7:08 AM8:07 PM8:44 PM9:12 PM14h 12m
August6:27 AM6:54 AM7:28 AM7:45 PM8:19 PM8:46 PM13h 26m
September6:50 AM7:15 AM7:48 AM7:06 PM7:39 PM8:04 PM12h 24m
October7:12 AM7:37 AM8:10 AM6:25 PM6:59 PM7:24 PM11h 22m
November6:38 AM7:04 AM7:41 AM4:53 PM5:29 PM5:56 PM10h 25m
December7:02 AM7:30 AM8:08 AM4:46 PM5:25 PM5:52 PM9h 55m

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 Red River Station, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:10 AM – 5:50 AM0.716°SE → SE
March4:12 AM – 6:12 AM2.024°SE → SSE
April2:20 AM – 5:30 AM3.227°SE → S
May12:22 AM – 4:52 AM4.527°SE → SSW
June10:28 PM – 4:28 AM6.027°SE → SW
July10:24 PM – 3:04 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August9:50 PM – 1:10 AM3.327°S → SW
September9:03 PM – 11:03 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October8:21 PM – 9:01 PM0.717°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.52 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (55%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F8387921011041101141151091009081
Low °F41215293657626148241811
Precip. (in)1.72.42.93.24.74.12.32.53.13.52.01.8

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 ghost town

  • Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
  • Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
  • Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
  • For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
  • Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.

Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Permits, drones & access

Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Red River Station, closest first.

Spanish FortGhost Town
Spanish Fort19 km away · Montague County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Red River Station?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Red River Station?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:25 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:59 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:10 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Red River Station?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Red River Station?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red River Station?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Red River Station from Nocona?
About 12.3 km (7.6 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.