Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site is a National Battlefield Site in Mississippi. 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 Brices Cross Roads the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 245° | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 255° | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 283° | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 294° | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:43 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 300° | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 297° | 14h 15m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 288° | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 274° | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:22 PM | 260° | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:52 PM | 248° | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:47 PM | 242° | 9h 52m |
Computed for the park's reference point (34.5061, -88.7289); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Brices Cross Roads, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.8 | 23° |
| April | 1:45 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.0 | 26° |
| May | 11:49 PM – 4:09 AM | 4.3 | 27° |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:55 AM | 6.0 | 27° |
| July | 9:51 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.7 | 27° |
| August | 9:16 PM – 12:26 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| September | 8:28 PM – 10:28 PM | 2.0 | 23° |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.7 | 16° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Mississippi is classified as a humid subtropical climate, the weather ranges from mild winters to hot summers with high humidity between May and September. Average high temperatures reach into the high 80's in summer, and into the high 40's in winter. Check local forecasts to plan your trip.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 (%)
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
Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site can be found 15 miles north of Tupelo, Mississippi. Exit U.S. Highway 45 onto Mississippi 370, in Baldwyn, Mississippi. The battlefield is located 6 miles west of Baldwyn, on Mississippi 370.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
Nearby parks
AL/MS
MS
TN/MS
AL/MS
IL/MS
AL/AR