San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site is a state park in Harris County, Texas. The nearest town is Channelview, about 4.6 km (2.9 mi) away (San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site lies SE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site includes the location of the Battle of San Jacinto. It is located off the Houston Ship Channel in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, near the city of Houston. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. A prominent feature of the park is the San Jacinto Monument. Visitors can take an elevator to the monument's observation deck for a view of Houston, the Houston Ship Channel, and the San Jacinto battlefield.From the Wikipedia article “San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site 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) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:21 AM | 62° ENE | 8:25 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 117° ESE | 5:26 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 | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 03m |
| July | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:50 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 San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:48 AM – 6:08 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:50 AM – 5:20 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:47 PM – 4:57 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 4:39 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:56 PM – 3:16 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 1:08 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 11:07 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 9:10 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.85 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 85 | 89 | 96 | 102 | 107 | 106 | 108 | 104 | 96 | 88 | 83 |
| Low °F | 19 | 20 | 25 | 35 | 45 | 64 | 67 | 64 | 53 | 38 | 28 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site?
What time is golden hour at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site?
How far is San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site from Channelview?
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.