Located in Burnet County, Texas, Sam Bass Arch is a natural arch at about 414 m (1,358 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 9.1 km (5.7 mi) ENE of Kingsland.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sam Bass Arch 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 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 62° ENE | 8:40 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 117° ESE | 5:37 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 07m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:05 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 10m |
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 Sam Bass Arch, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:52 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 6:22 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 12:03 AM – 5:03 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:16 PM – 4:46 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 3:23 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 1:23 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 11:21 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 9:23 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.12 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (57%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 85 | 92 | 92 | 101 | 103 | 107 | 111 | 110 | 107 | 100 | 90 | 85 |
| Low °F | 18 | 15 | 19 | 31 | 41 | 58 | 62 | 62 | 48 | 29 | 23 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 |
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 Sam Bass Arch, closest first.
Cave
State Park
Lake
Mountain Peak
Lake
Dark Sky Place
Mountain PeakFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sam Bass Arch?
What time is golden hour at Sam Bass Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sam Bass Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sam Bass Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sam Bass Arch?
How far is Sam Bass Arch from Kingsland?
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.