Located in Grayson County, Texas, Eisenhower State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Preston, about 7.2 km (4.5 mi) away (Eisenhower State Park lies SSE of town).
Eisenhower State Park is a 423.1 acres (171 ha) state park located on the shores of Lake Texoma northwest of Denison, Texas in Grayson County, Texas, United States. The park is named for the 34th U.S. president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was born in Denison. The park opened in 1958 and is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.From the Wikipedia article “Eisenhower State Park (Texas)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Eisenhower 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:17 AM | 61° ENE | 8:41 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 118° ESE | 5:22 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Eisenhower State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 6:07 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 4:23 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 1:05 AM | 3.3 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:58 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 8:56 PM | 0.7 | 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: 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 ≈ 20.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 80 | 84 | 87 | 96 | 100 | 106 | 113 | 113 | 108 | 96 | 89 | 81 |
| Low °F | 6 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 37 | 56 | 62 | 59 | 48 | 27 | 19 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 3.0 |
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 Eisenhower State Park, closest first.
Lake
Ghost Town
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Ghost Town
National Wildlife RefugeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Damsite Texas5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Burns Run East5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Burns Run West5.7 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Preston Bend7.4 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Platter Flats12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Eisenhower State Park?
What time is golden hour at Eisenhower State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Eisenhower State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Eisenhower State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Eisenhower State Park?
How far is Eisenhower State Park from Preston?
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.