Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Iowa. 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 Herbert Hoover 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 | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:00 PM | 242° | 9h 29m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:39 PM | 254° | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:12 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:46 PM | 284° | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 297° | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 303° | 15h 11m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:39 PM | 300° | 14h 55m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 290° | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:17 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:26 PM | 259° | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:55 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 246° | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:37 PM | 239° | 9h 10m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.6679, -91.3523); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Herbert Hoover, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 2:36 AM – 4:36 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 12:34 AM – 3:44 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| June | 10:53 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.3 | 19° |
| July | 10:43 PM – 1:53 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| August | 9:53 PM – 11:53 PM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 8:51 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| 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
Spring and fall are mild with moderate temperatures. Average high temperatures in the spring and fall are between 50° and 60° F, with lows from 40° F to 50° F. Summer is hot and humid with average highs around 85° F. Winter can be cold, windy, and snowy with highs averaging 30° F or lower. Rain and thunderstorms are most frequent in the spring and summer.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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
Take exit 254 off Interstate 80 to West Branch, Iowa. The Visitor Center is 0.3 mile north of Interstate 80.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
