John Muir National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in California. 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 John Muir the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 244° | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 255° | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 283° | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 295° | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 301° | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 299° | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 289° | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 275° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 247° | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 241° | 9h 33m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.9828, -122.1326); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From John Muir, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
7 Estimated Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye.
Weather & best time to visit
The Mediterranean climate of Martinez features hot, dry summers with lower temperatures near 60º F and upper temperatures near 100º F. The heat gives way to cool, rainy winters with lows near 45º F and highs near 75º F. Fall and spring can bring rain and temperatures from 55-80º F. March to April: wet/dry, 60-80º F May to September: very dry, 60-100º+ F October to November: dry/wet, 55-80º F December to February: wet, 45-75º F
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September 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
Please visit our main website for specific directions to our park. You may call the John Muir Visitor Center for additional information.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
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