Persimmon Gap — a mountain pass in Brewster County, Texas at about 902 m (2,959 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Big Bend National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 90 km (56 mi) SSE of Alpine.
Persimmon Gap is a mountain pass located in Big Bend National Park in Texas. It is traversed by U.S. Highway 385.From the Wikipedia article “Persimmon Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Persimmon Gap 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:57 AM | 90° E | 8:05 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:54 AM | 62° ENE | 8:57 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:42 AM | 89° E | 7:51 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 117° ESE | 5:59 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 14m |
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
Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:24 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 27m |
| February | 7:09 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:40 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:35 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:25 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 7:02 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:44 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:05 PM | 13h 38m |
| June | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 02m |
| July | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:22 PM | 13h 52m |
| August | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 7:14 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:28 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:27 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 15m |
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 Persimmon Gap, 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 | 5:13 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 6:41 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 5:53 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:32 PM – 5:12 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 1:41 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:20 PM – 11:40 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:43 PM – 9:43 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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (46%). 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 | 83 | 93 | 96 | 102 | 108 | 110 | 109 | 107 | 104 | 98 | 91 | 83 |
| Low °F | 20 | 11 | 22 | 35 | 38 | 61 | 62 | 60 | 51 | 30 | 21 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 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 mountain pass
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
- Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Warm layers, Road-condition 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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Persimmon Gap?
What time is golden hour at Persimmon Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Persimmon Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Persimmon Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Persimmon Gap?
How far is Persimmon Gap from Alpine?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.