Homestead National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in Nebraska. 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 Homestead the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:49 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:26 PM | 243° | 9h 37m |
| February | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:03 PM | 254° | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 284° | 13h 16m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 296° | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:00 PM | 302° | 15h 02m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:57 PM | 300° | 14h 46m |
| August | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:26 PM | 289° | 13h 47m |
| September | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 275° | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:39 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:49 PM | 260° | 11h 10m |
| November | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 246° | 9h 58m |
| December | 7:44 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:03 PM | 240° | 9h 19m |
Computed for the park's reference point (40.2880, -96.8339); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Homestead, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | 5:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.0 | 11° |
| March | 4:55 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.2 | 18° |
| April | 2:53 AM – 5:03 AM | 2.2 | 20° |
| May | 12:48 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| June | 11:03 PM – 3:53 AM | 4.8 | 21° |
| July | 10:55 PM – 2:25 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| August | 10:08 PM – 12:28 AM | 2.3 | 20° |
| September | 9:10 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.2 | 17° |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.2 | 11° |
| 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
Homestead NHP's weather can vary quite a bit, even in a single day. In the summer, average daytime highs can exceed 80°F (27°C), only to drop 20 or more degrees when a thunderstorm rolls through. Winter lows fluctuate day to day and year to year, but average lows were measured at about 16°F (-9°C) for January and February over a 20-year period. Wind is common throughout the year.
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 February as the cloudiest (63%). 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
The park is 4 miles west of Beatrice on State Highway 4. From the U.S. 77 and U.S. 136 intersection in downtown Beatrice take U.S. 136 approximately 1.2 miles west. Turn right onto Nebraska Highway 4 and follow the signs. After the road has curved west and you have traveled 4 miles, you will enter Homestead National Historical Park and see signs for the different buildings at the park.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Living History
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
