Overlook Park is a scenic viewpoint in Comal County, Texas at about 293 m (961 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 6.5 km (4.0 mi) ESE of Canyon Lake.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Overlook 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 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) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:33 AM | 62° ENE | 8:37 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 117° ESE | 5:38 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:25 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 03m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:03 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 14m |
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 Overlook Park, 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 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 | 4:53 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:01 AM – 6:21 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:03 AM – 5:33 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:00 AM – 5:10 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:52 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 1:21 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 11:20 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 9:23 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: 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 ≈ 20.26 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 84 | 95 | 95 | 103 | 105 | 109 | 110 | 112 | 108 | 99 | 90 | 84 |
| Low °F | 20 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 43 | 61 | 64 | 65 | 51 | 34 | 25 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Overlook Park, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Cave
Cave
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- North Park1.7 km (1.0 mi) · reservable
- Potters Creek Park8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Cranes Mill Park9.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Overlook Park?
What time is golden hour at Overlook Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Overlook Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Overlook Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Overlook Park?
How far is Overlook Park from Canyon Lake?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.