Guadalupe Peak is a mountain peak in Culberson County, Texas at about 2,657 m (8,717 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 84 km (52 mi) SW of Carlsbad.
Guadalupe Peak, also known as Signal Peak, is the highest natural point in Texas, with an elevation of 8,751 feet (2,667 m) above sea level. It is located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and is part of the Guadalupe Mountains range in southeastern New Mexico and West Texas. The mountain is about 90 miles (140 km) east of El Paso and about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The peak rises more than 3,000 feet (910 m) above the arid floor of the Chihuahuan Desert.From the Wikipedia article “Guadalupe Peak”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Guadalupe Peak 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) | 7:56 AM | 118° ESE | 6:00 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
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 18m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 7:46 AM | 8:10 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 57m |
| 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 | 9:07 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 13m |
| 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 | 9:10 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 7:20 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:16 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 05m |
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 Guadalupe Peak, 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 mountain peak
- Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer at high elevations — plan summit hikes for early morning.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Guadalupe Peak, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassNatural Arch
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Guadalupe Peak870 m
- Pine Springs Campground3.3 km (2.1 mi) · reservable
- Tejas Wilderness Campground5.0 km (3.1 mi)
- Tejas Wilderness Campground5.2 km (3.2 mi)
- Frijole Horse Corral Campground5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Guadalupe Peak?
What time is golden hour at Guadalupe Peak?
Where does the sun rise and set at Guadalupe Peak?
Can you see the Milky Way from Guadalupe Peak?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Guadalupe Peak?
How far is Guadalupe Peak from Carlsbad?
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.