Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park is a National Historical Park 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 Palo Alto Battlefield the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:00 PM | 247° | 10h 41m |
| February | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:24 PM | 257° | 11h 17m |
| March | 7:40 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:39 PM | 268° | 11h 59m |
| April | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:54 PM | 282° | 12h 46m |
| May | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 292° | 13h 25m |
| June | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:24 PM | 297° | 13h 45m |
| July | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:25 PM | 295° | 13h 37m |
| August | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:07 PM | 286° | 13h 04m |
| September | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:36 PM | 274° | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 261° | 11h 34m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:42 PM | 250° | 10h 53m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 244° | 10h 31m |
Computed for the park's reference point (26.0239, -97.4630); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Palo Alto Battlefield, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), 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 | 4:31 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.2 | 22° |
| March | 3:46 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.5 | 31° |
| April | 1:43 AM – 5:43 AM | 4.0 | 35° |
| May | 11:45 PM – 5:15 AM | 5.5 | 35° |
| June | 9:54 PM – 5:04 AM | 7.2 | 35° |
| July | 9:53 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.7 | 35° |
| August | 9:29 PM – 1:39 AM | 4.2 | 35° |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:33 PM | 2.7 | 32° |
| October | 8:20 PM – 9:40 PM | 1.3 | 23° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
5 Estimated Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow.
Weather & best time to visit
Summers are hot and humid. Tropical weather systems generally affect the area from August to October. Winters are usually mild but cold fronts can drop temperatures by up to 30 degrees in about an hour.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (67%). August 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
The park is located on Brownsville's north side, near the city of Los Fresnos. It is just north of the intersection of FM 1847 (Paredes Line Rd.) and FM 511/FM 550.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Living History
- Historic Weapons Demonstration
- First Person Interpretation
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
