Located in Hidalgo County, Texas, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Abram, about 4.1 km (2.5 mi) away (Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park lies SE of town).
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is a 764-acre (309 ha) state park in Mission, Texas, United States. It is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and serves as the headquarters for the World Birding Center.From the Wikipedia article “Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:45 PM | 270° W | 64° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:43 AM | 63° ENE | 8:29 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 116° ESE | 5:47 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 30m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 41m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 17m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:14 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:21 PM | 12h 47m |
| May | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 25m |
| June | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 46m |
| July | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 37m |
| August | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 04m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 34m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 52m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 31m |
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 Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.2 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:50 AM – 6:20 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:48 AM – 5:48 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:20 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 5:09 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:58 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.7 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:44 AM | 4.2 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 11:37 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 9:44 PM | 1.3 | 23° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 96 | 99 | 106 | 110 | 112 | 112 | 110 | 109 | 106 | 105 | 96 | 93 |
| Low °F | 24 | 27 | 32 | 41 | 49 | 67 | 69 | 69 | 57 | 45 | 31 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 5.1 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
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.
- 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 Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park?
What time is golden hour at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park?
How far is Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park from Abram?
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.