Located in Rice County, Kansas, Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well) is a beach. It lies in or next to Santa Fe National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 6.7 km (4.2 mi) W of Lyons.
From the National Park Service
The well was originally dug to serve the Beach Ranch at Cow Creek crossing, providing water for livestock as well as for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. Sometime after 1860, William Mathewson - who was the original Buffalo Bill - purchased the ranch of Asahel and Abijah Beach, also called the Cow Creek Ranch, and operated it until 1866. Mathewson was known as Buffalo Bill because he helped supply buffalo meat to starving settlers in Kansas Territory during the severe drought of 1859-60. (In later years, the better-known Buffalo Bill, William F. Cody, worked for Masterson.) Site Information Location (Four miles west of Lyons, on U.S. Highway 56 to Father Padilla's Cross, then turn left (south) for one mile on a gravel road. At this point, two gravel roads intersect, and the well is in the northwest quadrant of that intersection, very near the road.)
Available Facilities: This hand dug well can be visited today. The well was nearly wiped out a number of years ago when a road improvement project was under way. It was saved by the timely action of several local historians.
Exhibits: A Daughters of the American Revolution marker is located just north of the well. Safety Considerations More Site Information Santa Fe National Historic Trail
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:11 AM | 59° ENE | 9:01 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 120° ESE | 5:17 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:20 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:20 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:16 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 5:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:38 AM – 6:08 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 5:13 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:43 AM – 4:33 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:55 PM – 4:05 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 2:48 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 12:47 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 10:42 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 8:44 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 71 | 81 | 88 | 98 | 101 | 113 | 112 | 110 | 110 | 96 | 84 | 69 |
| Low °F | -3 | -2 | 0 | 18 | 30 | 47 | 54 | 51 | 39 | 21 | 12 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
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 beach
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well)?
What time is golden hour at Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well)?
How far is Buffalo Bill's Well (Beach Ranch Well) from Lyons?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.