Manzanar 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 Manzanar 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 301° (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 | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:00 PM | 244° | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:34 PM | 255° | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 283° | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:54 PM | 295° | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:14 PM | 300° | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 298° | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 288° | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:02 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:17 PM | 260° | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:45 PM | 247° | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:39 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:39 PM | 241° | 9h 40m |
Computed for the park's reference point (36.7256, -118.1547); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Manzanar, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:41 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.5 | 14° |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.7 | 21° |
| April | 1:49 AM – 4:39 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 11:56 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 10:06 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 10:00 PM – 2:10 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 9:21 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:30 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 7:44 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Manzanar is located in the Owens Valley at 4,000' elevation, at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada. We get little precipitation but we do have four distinct seasons. Summer temperatures can soar over 100 degrees. Winter highs are usually in the 40's. Nighttime temperatures year round are 30 to 40 degrees less than daytime highs. High winds are common in any season.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (53%). July 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
Manzanar is located on the west side of U.S. Highway 395, 9 miles north of Lone Pine, California and 6 miles south of Independence, CA.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Bus/Shuttle Guided Tour
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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CA/NV
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