Chamizal National Memorial is a National Memorial in Texas. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Chamizal 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 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:25 PM | 246° | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 256° | 11h 04m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:14 PM | 268° | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:35 PM | 282° | 12h 57m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:56 PM | 293° | 13h 46m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 298° | 14h 13m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 296° | 14h 02m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:51 PM | 287° | 13h 19m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:13 PM | 274° | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 260° | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:08 PM | 249° | 10h 33m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 243° | 10h 05m |
Computed for the park's reference point (31.7673, -106.4544); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Chamizal, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:46 AM – 5:46 AM | 2.0 | 26° |
| April | 1:40 AM – 5:10 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:30 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| June | 9:53 PM – 4:13 AM | 6.3 | 29° |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:50 AM | 5.0 | 29° |
| August | 9:19 PM – 12:49 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| September | 8:35 PM – 10:45 PM | 2.2 | 26° |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.8 | 18° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
7 Estimated Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye.
Weather & best time to visit
Chamizal National Memorial is open year-round, but periodic winter weather conditions may cause closure. Please check for alerts on the park website: www.nps.gov/cham. Thunderstorms typically occur during summer and early fall. There may be no shelter to avoid lightning, so please prepare by looking at weather forecasts and paying attention to developing weather conditions.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). 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 (%)
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.
Getting there
Chamizal National Memorial is located in a large, bi-national metropolitan area and easily accessible by road. El Paso International Airport is nearby, as well as an Amtrack train station.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Biking
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
MO/AR
NM
TX
NM