Buescher State Park — a state park in Bastrop County, Texas — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.4 km (2.1 mi) N of Smithville.
Buescher State Park is a state park located just north of Smithville in Bastrop County, Texas, United States. The park consists of 1,016.7 acres (411 ha) of public land donated to the state by Mr. Emil and Mrs. Elizabeth Buescher, as well as the City of Smithville. The park opened in 1940 and is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).From the Wikipedia article “Buescher State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buescher 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 83° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 62° ENE | 8:34 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 117° ESE | 5:34 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 12m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 25m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:21 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:32 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:32 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 54m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 13m |
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 Buescher State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 6:17 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:00 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 4:57 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 4:49 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 1:18 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 11:16 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:19 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.54 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 85 | 90 | 92 | 101 | 105 | 110 | 112 | 112 | 108 | 101 | 89 | 84 |
| Low °F | 17 | 17 | 21 | 34 | 43 | 61 | 65 | 65 | 50 | 33 | 23 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
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.
- 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 Buescher State Park, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Buescher State Park?
What time is golden hour at Buescher State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Buescher State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Buescher State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Buescher State Park?
How far is Buescher State Park from Smithville?
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.