Golden Spike National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in Utah. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Golden Spike
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Golden Spike. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Natural Arches (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Golden Spike the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:55 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:25 PM | 242° | 9h 30m |
| February | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:04 PM | 254° | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:43 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:37 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 284° | 13h 20m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:43 PM | 297° | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:56 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:07 PM | 303° | 15h 11m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:04 PM | 300° | 14h 54m |
| August | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 290° | 13h 52m |
| September | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:43 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:50 PM | 259° | 11h 08m |
| November | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 246° | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:51 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:01 PM | 239° | 9h 11m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.6195, -112.5243); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Golden Spike, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | 5:47 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.0 | 10° |
| March | 4:59 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 3:00 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 12:58 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.2 | 20° |
| June | 11:16 PM – 3:46 AM | 4.5 | 20° |
| July | 11:06 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.2 | 20° |
| August | 10:16 PM – 12:16 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 9:15 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | 8:22 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.0 | 10° |
| 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
Golden Spike National Historical Park is located in a high desert environment in the Promontory Mountains near the north end of the Great Salt Lake. The temperatures can reach over 100 degrees in the summer and dip into single digits in the winter, with much of the park blanketed in snow. Visitors are recommended to check forecasts before coming to our site and come prepared for changing weather conditions.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (72%). 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 - Private Vehicle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $20.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Golden Spike National Historical Park is 32 miles west of Brigham City, Utah. NB travelers on I-15: use exit 365 and drive west on Utah 13 and 83 through Corinne (follow brown directional signs) to Golden Spike Drive. Turn left and follow signs to the visitor center (8 miles). SB travelers on I-84: use Howell exit 26 and drive south on Utah 83 (follow brown directional signs) to Golden Spike Drive. Turn right and follow signs to the visitor center (8 miles). Lat/Long 41.617410,-112.550986
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Living History
- Reenactments
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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