Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is a National Historic Trail in Arizona, 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 Juan Bautista de Anza the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:03 PM | 245° | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 256° | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:57 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:20 PM | 283° | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:49 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 294° | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 299° | 14h 24m |
| July | 5:50 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 297° | 14h 12m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 288° | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:57 PM | 274° | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:16 PM | 260° | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:47 PM | 248° | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:42 PM | 242° | 9h 55m |
Computed for the park's reference point (33.8743, -117.2242); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Juan Bautista de Anza, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | 4:28 AM – 5:08 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 3:30 AM – 5:30 AM | 2.0 | 24° |
| April | 1:38 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:10 AM | 4.5 | 27° |
| June | 9:46 PM – 3:46 AM | 6.0 | 27° |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.7 | 27° |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 2.0 | 24° |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.7 | 17° |
| 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 1,200-mile Anza Trail connects historic, cultural, and recreation sites from Nogales, AZ, to the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit http://www.nps.gov/juba. Each site along the Anza Trail is managed independently. Contact individual sites for hours, directions, and other details.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (43%). August is the warmest month and December 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
Details listed are for the Richmond, California administrative office of the Anza Trail (administrative office is not currently open to the public). The 1,210-mile Anza Trail connects historic, cultural, and recreation sites from Nogales, AZ, to the San Francisco Bay Area that reveal the legacy of our Spanish colonial heritage. Each site along the Anza Trail is managed independently. Contact individual sites for hours, directions, and other details.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Road Biking
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Living History
- Reenactments
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Nearby parks
CA
CA
CA
CA