Balmorhea State Park — a state park in Reeves County, Texas — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 41 km (25 mi) NNE of Fort Davis.
Balmorhea State Park is a 46-acre (19 ha) state park located on the San Solomon Springs in Reeves County, Texas, opened in 1968. The closest city is Balmorhea, Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages the park. The park is best known for its large spring-fed swimming pool. The park is open year-round, and visitation is capped at 900 people per day.From the Wikipedia article “Balmorhea State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Balmorhea State Park 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 82° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:00 AM | 90° E | 8:07 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:53 AM | 62° ENE | 9:02 PM | 298° WNW | 82° | 14h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:44 AM | 89° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 117° ESE | 5:58 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 08m |
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 | 7:28 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:30 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 22m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 06m |
| March | 7:42 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:38 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:28 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 7:03 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:48 PM | 12h 56m |
| May | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:10 PM | 13h 43m |
| June | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 09m |
| July | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:28 PM | 13h 58m |
| August | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:04 PM | 13h 17m |
| September | 7:16 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:34 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:31 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 26m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:23 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 09m |
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 Balmorhea State Park, 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 6:14 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 6:44 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 5:58 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:39 PM – 5:09 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:06 PM – 1:46 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 9:24 PM – 11:44 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:45 PM – 9:45 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: 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 October as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 79 | 86 | 91 | 98 | 103 | 107 | 105 | 103 | 99 | 93 | 85 | 78 |
| Low °F | 17 | 7 | 17 | 30 | 32 | 55 | 58 | 56 | 47 | 24 | 18 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Balmorhea State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Balmorhea State Park?
What time is golden hour at Balmorhea State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Balmorhea State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Balmorhea State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Balmorhea State Park?
How far is Balmorhea State Park from Fort Davis?
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.