Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument is a National Monument in Kentucky. 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 Mill Springs Battlefield 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 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:52 AM | 8:31 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:46 PM | 244° | 9h 54m |
| February | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:19 PM | 255° | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:51 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:14 PM | 283° | 13h 09m |
| May | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:41 PM | 295° | 14h 09m |
| June | 6:19 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:01 PM | 301° | 14h 42m |
| July | 6:31 AM | 7:09 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:00 PM | 298° | 14h 28m |
| August | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:32 PM | 288° | 13h 36m |
| September | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:48 PM | 274° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:47 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:04 PM | 260° | 11h 16m |
| November | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:30 PM | 247° | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:46 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:24 PM | 241° | 9h 38m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.0688, -84.7375); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Mill Springs Battlefield, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:37 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.3 | 14° |
| March | 4:43 AM – 6:13 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:36 AM – 5:26 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 10:53 PM – 4:23 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 10:47 PM – 2:57 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 10:08 PM – 12:58 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 9:16 PM – 10:56 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 8:30 PM – 9:00 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Nancy, Kentucky, on average, gets 50 inches of rain per year and 11 inches of snow. July is usually the warmest month with temperatures around 86 F. January can reach a low of 25 F.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (72%). 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 address of the Visitor Center and Museum is 9020 West Highway 80, Nancy, Kentucky 42544. The Visitor Center and Museum is located approximately eight miles west of Somerset, Kentucky along KY-80. Next door is the Mill Springs National Cemetery. Zollicoffer Park (Core Battlefield) is one mile due south of the Visitor Center along KY-235. From the Visitor Center, turn right onto KY-80 W head 0.3 of a mile. Turn left onto State Hwy 235 go 1 mile, Zollicoffer Park will be on your left.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
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