Cerro Castellan Window — a natural arch in Brewster County, Texas at about 705 m (2,313 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Alpine, about 135 km (84 mi) away (Cerro Castellan Window lies S of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cerro Castellan Window the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:59 AM | 90° E | 8:06 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:56 AM | 63° ENE | 8:57 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:43 AM | 89° E | 7:52 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 117° ESE | 6:01 PM | 244° WSW | 37° | 10h 17m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:24 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:44 PM | 10h 29m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:41 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:36 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:27 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 7:04 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:45 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:05 PM | 13h 36m |
| June | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 00m |
| July | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:21 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:22 PM | 13h 50m |
| August | 6:59 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 12m |
| September | 7:16 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:24 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:32 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:28 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 42m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 17m |
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 Cerro Castellan Window, 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 6:42 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 6:03 AM | 3.7 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:31 PM – 5:11 AM | 6.7 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 1:51 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 9:20 PM – 11:50 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:44 PM – 9:44 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 83 | 93 | 96 | 102 | 108 | 110 | 109 | 107 | 104 | 98 | 91 | 83 |
| Low °F | 20 | 11 | 22 | 35 | 38 | 61 | 62 | 60 | 51 | 30 | 21 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 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 natural arch
- Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
- Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cerro Castellan Window, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Ghost TownNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cottonwood (Big Bend, Tx)2.9 km (1.8 mi) · reservable
- Chisos Basin Group Campground (Big Bend, Tx)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Chisos Basin Campground (Big Bend, Tx)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cerro Castellan Window?
What time is golden hour at Cerro Castellan Window?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cerro Castellan Window?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cerro Castellan Window?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cerro Castellan Window?
How far is Cerro Castellan Window from Alpine?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.