Hill Country State Natural Area is a state park in Bandera County, Texas. The nearest town is Medina, about 19.8 km (12.3 mi) away (Hill Country State Natural Area lies SSE of town).
Hill Country State Natural Area (HCSNA) preserves 5,369 acres (21.73 km2) of rugged, relatively pristine Hill Country terrain in Bandera County, Texas, United States. It was opened to the public in 1984. Since HCSNA is designated a "Natural Area" rather than a "State Park", the first priority of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is the maintenance and preservation of the property's natural state. Accordingly, facilities are purposely somewhat primitive and recreational activities may be curtailed if the TPWD deems it necessary to protect the environment.From the Wikipedia article “Hill Country State Natural Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hill Country State Natural Area 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:38 AM | 62° ENE | 8:41 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 117° ESE | 5:43 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 14m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 27m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:46 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:28 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 38m |
| June | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 02m |
| July | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:06 PM | 13h 52m |
| August | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 15m |
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 Hill Country State Natural Area, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 6:25 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 5:14 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:16 PM – 4:56 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 1:25 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:27 PM – 9:27 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 83 | 95 | 95 | 102 | 106 | 109 | 111 | 112 | 107 | 100 | 90 | 83 |
| Low °F | 20 | 17 | 22 | 34 | 42 | 60 | 64 | 64 | 52 | 33 | 26 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
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 Hill Country State Natural Area, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hill Country State Natural Area?
What time is golden hour at Hill Country State Natural Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hill Country State Natural Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hill Country State Natural Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hill Country State Natural Area?
How far is Hill Country State Natural Area from Medina?
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.