Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a National Monument in Nebraska. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Agate Fossil Beds the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:22 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:48 PM | 242° | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:28 PM | 254° | 10h 35m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:02 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:37 PM | 284° | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:10 PM | 297° | 14h 36m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:34 PM | 304° | 15h 16m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:31 PM | 301° | 14h 59m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:58 PM | 290° | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:07 PM | 275° | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:14 PM | 259° | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:29 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:34 PM | 246° | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:24 PM | 239° | 9h 05m |
Computed for the park's reference point (42.4217, -103.7539); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Agate Fossil Beds, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:36 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.8 | 15° |
| April | 2:28 AM – 4:28 AM | 2.0 | 18° |
| May | 12:39 AM – 3:29 AM | 2.8 | 19° |
| June | 10:50 PM – 3:00 AM | 4.2 | 19° |
| July | 10:39 PM – 1:39 AM | 3.0 | 19° |
| August | 9:46 PM – 11:36 PM | 1.8 | 18° |
| September | 8:43 PM – 9:33 PM | 0.8 | 15° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Summers can be very warm, high 90's to 100 with the frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Plan to hike early and come down from the higher points if storms threaten. Winter temperatures can dip as low as -20 with snow and wind. Heaviest snows can be expected in late Spring.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
From US 20: 22 miles south of Harrison, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved) From US 26: 34 miles north of Mitchell, NE on State Hwy 29, then three miles east on River Road (paved). From State Hwy 71: 25 miles west on the unpaved portion of River Road.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
NE
WY
SD
SD
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