Bush Mountain — a mountain peak in Culberson County, Texas at about 2,626 m (8,615 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Carlsbad, about 82 km (51 mi) away (Bush Mountain lies SW of town).
Bush Mountain, at an elevation of 8,631 feet (2,631 m) is the second highest peak in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in the Guadalupe Mountains of Culberson County, Bush Mountain is about 2.87 miles (4.62 km) northwest of Guadalupe Peak, its nearest higher neighbor. Its proximity to Guadalupe Peak gives Bush Mountain the 22nd greatest prominence of any mountain in Texas at 951 feet (290 m). Bush Mountain is within the Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness of Guadalupe Mountains National Park and can only be accessed via hiking or horseback. Bush Mountain can be accessed via trailheads at both Pine Springs (6.7 miles (10.8 km) one way) and Dog Canyon in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and the Bush Mountain Trail passes over the summit of the mountain. The Bush Mountain Campground is located along the trail just below the southeast side of the summit, and the National Park Service has a...From the Wikipedia article “Bush Mountain (Texas)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
With an elevation of 8,631 feet (2,631 m), Bush Mountain, is the second highest peak in the state of Texas. Bush Mountain is nearly three miles northwest of Guadalupe Peak . Bush Mountain is within the Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness and can only be accessed via hiking or horseback. Bush Mountain can be reached via trailheads at both Pine Springs and Dog Canyon and the Bush Mountain Trail passes over the summit of the mountain. The Bush Mountain Wilderness Campground is located along the trail just below the southeast side of the summit. A radio repeater is located a short distance off the trail and near the summit.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bush Mountain 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 82° 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) | 6:55 AM | 62° ENE | 9:09 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:48 AM | 89° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 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
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:37 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 7:46 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:43 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:32 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 7:06 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:54 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:17 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:35 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:11 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 7:20 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:31 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:39 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:36 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:30 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 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 Bush Mountain, 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 | 5:29 AM – 6:19 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:40 AM – 6:40 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 6:05 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 5:24 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:48 PM – 5:08 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:45 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 1:44 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 9:30 PM – 11:40 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:50 PM – 9:40 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 mountain peak
- Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Photograph the peak from a lake, meadow or ridge at sunrise when the face that looks east lights up first.
- Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. 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 Bush Mountain, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Mountain PeakNatural Arch
Mountain Pass
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tejas Wilderness Campground2.9 km (1.8 mi)
- Tejas Wilderness Campground3.0 km (1.9 mi)
- Guadalupe Peak4.8 km (3.0 mi)
- Pine Springs Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Frijole Horse Corral Campground8.3 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bush Mountain?
What time is golden hour at Bush Mountain?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bush Mountain?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bush Mountain?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bush Mountain?
How far is Bush Mountain from Carlsbad?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, 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.