Big Bend National Park is a National Park in Texas. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 11 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Big Bend
We matched 11 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Big Bend. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (3)
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfalls (1)
Natural Arches (2)
Mountain Peaks (1)
Canyons (1)
Mountain Passes (1)
Ghost Towns (1)
Dark Sky Places (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Big Bend 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.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:49 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:17 PM | 246° | 10h 28m |
| February | 7:33 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:43 PM | 256° | 11h 10m |
| March | 8:04 AM | 8:35 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:02 PM | 268° | 11h 58m |
| April | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:20 PM | 282° | 12h 52m |
| May | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:39 PM | 292° | 13h 37m |
| June | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:55 PM | 298° | 14h 01m |
| July | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 295° | 13h 51m |
| August | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:35 PM | 287° | 13h 12m |
| September | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:00 PM | 274° | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:55 AM | 8:27 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:24 PM | 261° | 11h 29m |
| November | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:25 PM | 5:59 PM | 249° | 10h 42m |
| December | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:57 PM | 244° | 10h 17m |
Computed for the park's reference point (29.2982, -103.2298); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Big Bend, 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 32° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.8 | 19° |
| March | 4:21 AM – 6:41 AM | 2.3 | 29° |
| April | 2:22 AM – 6:02 AM | 3.7 | 32° |
| May | 12:18 AM – 5:28 AM | 5.2 | 32° |
| June | 10:30 PM – 5:10 AM | 6.7 | 32° |
| July | 10:27 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.3 | 32° |
| August | 10:00 PM – 1:50 AM | 3.8 | 32° |
| September | 9:19 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.5 | 29° |
| October | 8:43 PM – 9:43 PM | 1.0 | 20° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Big Bend is in the Chihuahuan Desert. Sunshine is abundant year-round. Spring (March) is typically warm and pleasant and is the park's busiest season. Summer heat begins in May. It is extremely HOT. Temperatures vary greatly between the desert which is usually well above 100 degrees F by late morning, and the Chisos Mountains, which can be 10-15 degrees cooler. May - August are the hottest months. Fall and Winter (Nov-Feb) are mild and pleasant, but some freezing does occur. Snow is rare.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $200.00 |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $30.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Several highways lead to Big Bend National Park: TX 118 from Alpine to Study Butte or FM 170 from Presidio to Study Butte (then 26 miles east to park headquarters) or US 90 or US 385 to Marathon (then 70 miles south to park headquarters). Distances between towns and services are considerable. Be sure you have plenty of gas, food, water, and supplies for your trip. There are no electric vehicle charging stations in Big Bend National Park. The closest EV charging station is 130 miles away in Fort Stockton.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Food
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Kayaking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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