Located in Guadalupe County, Texas, Saffold Dam is a waterfall. It sits roughly 2.1 km (1.3 mi) SSW of Seguin. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Saffold Dam at the Flores Crossing is a dam and man-made waterfall in the city of Seguin, Texas. Named for William Saffold, a Civil War veteran, a major landowner and local merchant. The dam was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 1979. This dam began as a natural outcropping in the riverbed. After Henry Troell bought the mill, the dam was further built up over the years. In 1895, Troell installed hydroelectric generators to power his mill and the town. Then in 1907 he sold the dam and power plant to the City of Seguin, which owns them today. The low but wide dam forms a graceful S curve, a rare structure for a dam. It is a unique design on the Guadalupe River, and perhaps in Texas. The dam we see today was built as part of Max Starcke Park, designed by Robert Hugman, the father of the San Antonio River Walk. The dam/waterfall, like the rest of the...From the Wikipedia article “Saffold Dam”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Saffold Dam 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 | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:33 AM | 62° ENE | 8:36 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 117° ESE | 5:38 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 15m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:03 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 27m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:14 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 38m |
| June | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 02m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:01 PM | 13h 52m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 41m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 16m |
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 Saffold Dam, 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 32° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 6:20 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 5:42 AM | 3.7 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 5:08 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:10 PM – 4:50 AM | 6.7 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 3:27 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 1:29 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 11:19 PM | 2.3 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 9:22 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.05 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 86 | 92 | 96 | 103 | 104 | 110 | 110 | 113 | 110 | 100 | 91 | 86 |
| Low °F | 20 | 18 | 23 | 34 | 44 | 62 | 67 | 65 | 52 | 36 | 25 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
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 waterfall
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Saffold Dam, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Saffold Dam?
What time is golden hour at Saffold Dam?
Where does the sun rise and set at Saffold Dam?
Can you see the Milky Way from Saffold Dam?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Saffold Dam?
How far is Saffold Dam from Seguin?
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.