Gloss Mountain State Park — a state park in Major County, Oklahoma — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 14.0 km (8.7 mi) NW of Fairview.
Glass Mountains State Park (also called Gloss Mountain State Park) is an Oklahoma state park located in Major County, Oklahoma, near the city of Fairview, Oklahoma. A recreational-educational park that is accessible 365 days a year for hiking and picnicking, from sunrise to sunset. There are no campsites or other overnight accommodations in the park. Facilities include a restroom, pavilions, picnic areas, grills, public water supply, handicap trail to historical marker, and a hiking trail from base parking lot to the top of Cathedral Mountain and across the mesa to view the valley floor and Lone Peak Mountain. Points of interest include land geography, geological formations, Selenite gypsum, scenery and wildlife. This range is also known as the Glass Mountains.From the Wikipedia article “Gloss Mountain State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gloss Mountain State Park 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 300° (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) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:18 AM | 60° ENE | 8:56 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 119° ESE | 5:23 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 41m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:25 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:11 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:20 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:46 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:16 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Gloss Mountain State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:52 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:37 AM – 6:17 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 5:29 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:45 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:44 PM – 4:24 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 12:51 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 10:50 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:25 PM – 8:55 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.8 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 78 | 85 | 89 | 100 | 105 | 114 | 116 | 114 | 107 | 96 | 89 | 72 |
| Low °F | -5 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 34 | 50 | 59 | 56 | 44 | 22 | 17 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Gloss Mountain State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fairview25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Longdale26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Big Bend (Ok)28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Sandy Cove29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gloss Mountain State Park?
What time is golden hour at Gloss Mountain State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gloss Mountain State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gloss Mountain State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gloss Mountain State Park?
How far is Gloss Mountain State Park from Fairview?
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.