Colonial National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in Virginia. 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 Colonial the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 244° | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:47 PM | 255° | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 283° | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 295° | 14h 10m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 301° | 14h 43m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 298° | 14h 29m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 289° | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 275° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 260° | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:58 PM | 247° | 10h 11m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 241° | 9h 37m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.2282, -76.6200); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Colonial, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.7 | 24° |
| May | 12:12 AM – 4:12 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 10:22 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:26 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.3 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
During the summer season visitors should dress in light, comfortable clothing, wear comfortable shoes and use sunscreen. We recommended you carry a bottle of water with you. High temperatures and high humidity create higher risk of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Most of the Historic site is out-of-doors and although not a great distance from an air-conditioned building, staying properly hydrated will help prevent these illnesses. During the fall visitors should have a light jacket available.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). 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.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
For an internet map search or GPS, use the following: Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center, 1000 Colonial Parkway, Yorktown, Virginia 23690. Historic Jamestowne Visitor Center, 1368 Colonial Parkway, Jamestown, Virginia 23081.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Junior Ranger Program
Nearby parks
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