Castle Mountains National Monument is a National Monument in California. 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 Castle Mountains the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:52 PM | 245° | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 255° | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:48 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 283° | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 294° | 14h 01m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 300° | 14h 31m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 297° | 14h 19m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 288° | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:49 PM | 274° | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:06 PM | 260° | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:35 PM | 248° | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:30 PM | 242° | 9h 48m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.2916, -115.0936); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Castle Mountains, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 4:28 AM – 4:58 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:32 AM – 5:22 AM | 1.8 | 23° |
| April | 1:32 AM – 4:32 AM | 3.0 | 26° |
| May | 11:37 PM – 3:47 AM | 4.2 | 26° |
| June | 9:44 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 9:40 PM – 2:10 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:03 AM | 3.0 | 26° |
| September | 8:14 PM – 10:04 PM | 1.8 | 23° |
| October | 7:31 PM – 8:11 PM | 0.7 | 15° |
| 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
Weather at Castle Mountains changes with the seasons. Freezing temperatures are expected in winter, with occasional snow. Spring brings mild warm days and cooler nights. With enough rain, wildflowers can carpet the area, making for spectacular displays. Summer months are much hotter, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Strong monsoonal storms in late summer may cause flash-flooding in low-lying areas and can create hazardous road conditions. Fall is a cooler respite after the heat of summer.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (44%). 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
You can approach Castle Mountains from Walking Box Ranch Road off of Nevada State Rd 164 (Nipton Road) or from several unnamed dirt roads off of Lanfair Road in Mojave National Preserve.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
Nearby parks
CA
AZ/NV
NV
CA
AZ