Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is a National Military Park in North Carolina. 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 Guilford Courthouse 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:28 PM | 244° | 9h 58m |
| February | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:01 PM | 255° | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:53 PM | 283° | 13h 06m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 295° | 14h 05m |
| June | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:39 PM | 300° | 14h 36m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:37 PM | 298° | 14h 23m |
| August | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:11 PM | 288° | 13h 33m |
| September | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:45 PM | 260° | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 248° | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:07 PM | 242° | 9h 43m |
Computed for the park's reference point (36.1323, -79.8425); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Guilford Courthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.5 | 14° |
| March | 4:22 AM – 6:02 AM | 1.7 | 22° |
| April | 2:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:30 AM | 4.2 | 25° |
| June | 10:29 PM – 4:09 AM | 5.7 | 25° |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:44 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:46 PM – 12:36 AM | 2.8 | 25° |
| September | 8:55 PM – 10:35 PM | 1.7 | 22° |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:40 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
6 Estimated Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos.
Weather & best time to visit
https://www.nps.gov/guco/planyourvisit/weather.htm Summers are warm to hot and humid with the occasional thunderstorm. Spring and Fall are cool with rainy periods. Winter is mild and cold with snow and ice possible in January and February. Wear comfortable clothing for the season and good walking shoes year round!
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and May 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.
Getting there
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is located along US 220 and New Garden Road. To reach the Visitor Center, drive East on New Garden Road and turn right into the parking lot when you see the stone sign “Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.” If you drive down Old Battleground Road, do not drive through the Forest Lawn cemetery, this is a dead end and is not connected to the National Park. If you drive on Old Battleground, turn left onto New Garden Road Lat / Long: 36.1316499 / -79.8471879
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Theater
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Living History
- Historic Weapons Demonstration
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
VA
VA
NC/SC
SC
WV