California National Historic Trail is a National Historic Trail in California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 4 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in California
We matched 4 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to California. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Rock Formations (2)
Caves (2)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At California 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 | 7:42 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:07 PM | 242° | 9h 25m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:47 PM | 254° | 10h 35m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 284° | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 297° | 14h 36m |
| June | 5:38 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:54 PM | 303° | 15h 16m |
| July | 5:52 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 301° | 14h 59m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 290° | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:26 PM | 275° | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:34 PM | 259° | 11h 06m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:54 PM | 246° | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:38 AM | 8:23 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:44 PM | 239° | 9h 06m |
Computed for the park's reference point (42.4000, -108.7024); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From California, 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 | 4:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.8 | 15° |
| April | 2:49 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.0 | 18° |
| May | 12:59 AM – 3:49 AM | 2.8 | 19° |
| June | 11:10 PM – 3:20 AM | 4.2 | 19° |
| July | 10:59 PM – 1:59 AM | 3.0 | 19° |
| August | 10:06 PM – 11:56 PM | 1.8 | 18° |
| September | 9:03 PM – 9:53 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
Due to the length of the California National Historic Trail, be sure to consult local weather sources for the region you'll be visiting. Check out the forecast with the National Weather Service and search for the area you'd like to visit: weather.gov
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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
Those portions of the California National Historic Trail authorized by Congress include nearly 2,000 miles of historic trail that was once the primary "road" taken by farmers, enterprising business managers, gold-seekers, and fortune hunters who chose to make a new life on the California frontier. The route passes through ten states from Missouri to California.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
CA/CO
ID/KS
WY