Franklin Mountains State Park — a state park in El Paso County, Texas — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.8 km (6.1 mi) ESE of Canutillo.
Franklin Mountains State Park is a state park in El Paso, Texas, United States. The park is named after the Franklin Mountains, a mountainous range that extends 23 mi (37 km) from El Paso to New Mexico. Its headquarters are located at an elevation of 5,426 feet (1,654 m) with the highest peak, North Franklin Mountain, reaching 7,192 feet (2,192 m). Covering 24,247.56 acres (9,813 ha), it is one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. lying completely within city limits. The park is owned and operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is open year-round.From the Wikipedia article “Franklin Mountains State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Franklin Mountains 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 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 62° ENE | 8:16 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 117° ESE | 5:07 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 05m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Franklin Mountains State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:46 AM – 5:46 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 5:11 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:30 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 4:14 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:51 PM – 2:51 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 12:50 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:36 PM – 10:46 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.8 | 18° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.52 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). 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 | 74 | 82 | 89 | 95 | 102 | 108 | 108 | 106 | 100 | 94 | 85 | 74 |
| Low °F | 20 | 6 | 19 | 29 | 37 | 55 | 60 | 60 | 48 | 27 | 20 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 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 Franklin Mountains State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Franklin Mountains State Park?
What time is golden hour at Franklin Mountains State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Franklin Mountains State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Franklin Mountains State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Franklin Mountains State Park?
How far is Franklin Mountains State Park from Canutillo?
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.