Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River is a Wild & Scenic River 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 Rio Grande 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 | 7:46 AM | 8:21 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:12 PM | 246° | 10h 26m |
| February | 7:30 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:39 PM | 256° | 11h 09m |
| March | 8:00 AM | 8:32 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:58 PM | 268° | 11h 58m |
| April | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:17 PM | 282° | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:36 PM | 293° | 13h 39m |
| June | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:52 PM | 298° | 14h 03m |
| July | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:52 PM | 296° | 13h 53m |
| August | 7:18 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:32 PM | 287° | 13h 14m |
| September | 7:35 AM | 8:06 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 274° | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:52 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:20 PM | 261° | 11h 28m |
| November | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:55 PM | 249° | 10h 40m |
| December | 7:38 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:52 PM | 244° | 10h 14m |
Computed for the park's reference point (29.8810, -102.3188); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Rio Grande, 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 31° 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 | 5:09 AM – 5:59 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 4:17 AM – 6:37 AM | 2.3 | 28° |
| April | 2:20 AM – 5:50 AM | 3.5 | 31° |
| May | 12:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 5.0 | 31° |
| June | 10:29 PM – 5:09 AM | 6.7 | 31° |
| July | 10:26 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.3 | 31° |
| August | 9:58 PM – 1:38 AM | 3.7 | 31° |
| September | 9:16 PM – 11:36 PM | 2.3 | 28° |
| October | 8:39 PM – 9:39 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
Variable -- February-April: High temperatures range from mid-70sF (23C) to low-90sF (32C) with lows from the mid-30sF (2C) to mid-50sF (12C). Cold fronts can bring freezing weather with rain or snow. -- May-August: Temperatures are hot and the weather can be stormy. Temperatures over 100F (more than 38C) degrees. -- September-January:Temperatures are cooler. The weather can turn cold any time during these months.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (45%). 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 |
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.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Boating
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Kayaking
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
Nearby parks
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