Located in Palo Pinto County, Texas, Possum Kingdom State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Graham, about 27 km (17 mi) away (Possum Kingdom State Park lies S of town).
Possum Kingdom State Park is a state park in Palo Pinto County, Texas, USA, that was built in the 1940s by Civilian Conservation Corps Company 2888 and opened to the public in 1950. It covers approximately 1,530 acres (620 ha), and lies in the Palo Pinto Mountains and Brazos River Valley of Texas. The park borders the large Possum Kingdom Lake, a 20,000-acre (8,100 ha) lake known for its clear blue waters. Possum Kingdom winds for 65 miles (105 km) down the Brazos River, and has more than 300 miles (480 km) of shoreline. A privately owned store and marina in the park cater to boaters and campers. The Boy Scouts of America have a summer camp "Constantin" on the shores of Possum Kingdom Lake as does the YMCA at camp "Grady Spruce". Camp Grady Spruce is directly across from the most well known geological feature of the lake called "Hell's Gate", a channel which cuts between an island...From the Wikipedia article “Possum Kingdom State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Possum Kingdom 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 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:27 AM | 61° ENE | 8:46 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 118° ESE | 5:33 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 59m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:18 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:30 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 07m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 00m |
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 Possum Kingdom State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:51 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:26 PM – 4:36 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 3:12 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 1:10 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 11:15 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 9:14 PM | 0.8 | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.61 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (53%). 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 | 84 | 90 | 93 | 102 | 108 | 109 | 111 | 111 | 106 | 101 | 91 | 84 |
| Low °F | 15 | 12 | 16 | 30 | 38 | 59 | 64 | 63 | 48 | 25 | 19 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Possum Kingdom State Park?
What time is golden hour at Possum Kingdom State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Possum Kingdom State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Possum Kingdom State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Possum Kingdom State Park?
How far is Possum Kingdom State Park from Graham?
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.