Autograph Rock is a rock formation in Cimarron County, Oklahoma. It lies in or next to Santa Fe National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Boise City, about 16.6 km (10.3 mi) away (Autograph Rock lies NW of town).
From the National Park Service
Cold Springs Creek is a tributary of the Cimarron River which provided much needed water in the semi-arid plains of what is now called the Oklahoma panhandle. Because of the year-round water access and protection provided by high cliffs, Cold Spring Creek became a popular camping place for people in the area. Archeological evidence suggests that the site was used by indigenous communities, and later by Santa Fe Trail and other travelers.
The sandstone bluffs at the site became a place where people passing through carved their names. Signatures on the walls came from soldiers, teamsters, gold seekers, and others traveling the Santa Fe Trail. Because of the signatures, Cold Springs Creek became known as Autograph Rock. The name F.B. Delgado, who was an owner of a mule and ox train that freighted the trail, is signed more frequently than any other name at Autograph Rock. Site Information Location (Approximately seven miles west and seven miles north of Boise City, Boise City, OK, 73933) Safety Considerations More Site Information Exhibit with Audio Description available Santa Fe National Historic Trail
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Autograph Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:55 AM | 90° E | 8:03 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:33 AM | 60° ENE | 9:14 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:39 AM | 89° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:00 AM | 119° ESE | 5:38 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:35 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:42 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:26 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:58 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:37 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:37 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:24 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:43 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:11 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:33 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:34 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:28 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:37 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Autograph Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:39 AM – 6:09 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:55 AM – 6:35 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:54 AM – 4:54 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 11:04 PM – 4:34 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:58 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:19 PM – 1:09 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:28 PM – 11:08 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:42 PM – 9:12 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (55%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 76 | 82 | 88 | 95 | 101 | 108 | 107 | 106 | 101 | 93 | 85 | 75 |
| Low °F | 5 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 30 | 43 | 54 | 51 | 34 | 17 | 12 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
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 rock formation
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Autograph Rock, closest first.
State Park
Canyon
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When is the best time to photograph Autograph Rock?
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How far is Autograph Rock from Boise City?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.