Minidoka National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Idaho, Washington. 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 Minidoka the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:05 AM | 8:49 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:29 PM | 242° | 9h 24m |
| February | 7:35 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:09 PM | 254° | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:50 AM | 8:27 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:44 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 284° | 13h 23m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:53 PM | 297° | 14h 37m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:35 PM | 9:17 PM | 304° | 15h 18m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:14 PM | 301° | 15h 01m |
| August | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:40 PM | 290° | 13h 56m |
| September | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:49 PM | 275° | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:51 AM | 8:29 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:56 PM | 259° | 11h 05m |
| November | 7:29 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:16 PM | 245° | 9h 46m |
| December | 8:01 AM | 8:47 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:05 PM | 239° | 9h 04m |
Computed for the park's reference point (42.6780, -114.2465); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Minidoka, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:18 AM – 6:08 AM | 0.8 | 15° |
| April | 3:21 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.8 | 18° |
| May | 1:23 AM – 4:13 AM | 2.8 | 18° |
| June | 11:34 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.0 | 18° |
| July | 11:22 PM – 2:12 AM | 2.8 | 18° |
| August | 10:29 PM – 12:19 AM | 1.8 | 18° |
| September | 9:25 PM – 10:15 PM | 0.8 | 15° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| 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
Jerome and Twin Falls, Idaho, gets 10 inches of rain per year. On average, there are 213 sunny days per year here. The July high is around 94 degrees. The January low is 22. High winds are common, and little shade is available at the site.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and December 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
Minidoka National Historic Site is located between the towns of Twin Falls and Jerome, Idaho in south central Idaho.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
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