Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is a state park in Otero County, New Mexico. It sits roughly 9.4 km (5.8 mi) SE of Boles Acres.
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is a state park of New Mexico, United States, whose two tracts preserve a canyon in the Sacramento Mountains and Oliver Lee's historic 19th-century ranch house. The 640-acre (260 ha) park is located in Otero County at an elevation of 4,400 feet (1,300 m). It is situated at the base of Dog Canyon and provides opportunities for camping, hiking, picnicking, wildlife viewing, a nature trail, and guided tours of the ranch house. The Dog Canyon National Recreational Trail climbs to provide views of the Tularosa Basin and the Organ Mountains. Nearby are the community of Alamogordo and White Sands National Park. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park was established in 1980.From the Wikipedia article “Oliver Lee Memorial State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oliver Lee Memorial State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 61° ENE | 8:16 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 118° ESE | 5:02 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 9h 59m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:15 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:28 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 00m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:40 AM – 5:00 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:41 PM – 4:21 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:56 PM – 4:06 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 2:42 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 12:40 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 10:45 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:44 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (51%). July 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 | 68 | 75 | 83 | 91 | 98 | 104 | 104 | 101 | 97 | 89 | 77 | 69 |
| Low °F | 15 | 1 | 16 | 25 | 31 | 49 | 54 | 51 | 42 | 19 | 19 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, closest first.
National Forest
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Sand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Slide Group Area10.1 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Black Bear Group Area25 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Deerhead Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Sleepy Grass27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Upper Fir Group Area29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oliver Lee Memorial State Park?
What time is golden hour at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oliver Lee Memorial State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park?
How far is Oliver Lee Memorial State Park from Boles Acres?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.