Amache National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Colorado. 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 Amache 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 244° | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:28 PM | 255° | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:57 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:25 PM | 283° | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:53 PM | 295° | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:14 PM | 301° | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 299° | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 289° | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:59 PM | 275° | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:13 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:39 PM | 247° | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:40 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 241° | 9h 32m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.0496, -102.3290); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Amache, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 3:54 AM – 5:24 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:38 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 11:58 PM – 3:48 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:10 PM – 3:30 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:03 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:22 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:28 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 7:40 PM – 8:00 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| 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
The site is located in Colorado on the High Plains, an arid, windy, and sunny environment. Temperatures and conditions can be extreme in this region, with hot, arid summers that include occasional thunderstorms and tornadoes, as well as cold and snowy winters.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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
Amache National Historic Site is in southeastern Colorado about 1.5 miles west of the town of Granada, 17.5 miles east of Lamar, and half an hour drive from the Kansas border. The site is located off Highway 385/50 along the Santa Fe Trail.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Junior Ranger Program
