Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in South Dakota. 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 Minuteman Missile the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:20 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:36 PM | 241° | 9h 16m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:18 PM | 253° | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:54 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:32 PM | 285° | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:07 PM | 298° | 14h 44m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:33 PM | 304° | 15h 27m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:29 PM | 302° | 15h 09m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 291° | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:00 PM | 275° | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:06 PM | 259° | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:27 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:24 PM | 245° | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:12 PM | 238° | 8h 55m |
Computed for the park's reference point (43.8956, -102.0272); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Minuteman Missile, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:41 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.7 | 14° |
| April | 2:37 AM – 4:17 AM | 1.7 | 16° |
| May | 12:42 AM – 3:12 AM | 2.5 | 17° |
| June | 10:58 PM – 2:38 AM | 3.7 | 17° |
| July | 10:44 PM – 1:14 AM | 2.5 | 17° |
| August | 9:46 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.5 | 16° |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:09 PM | 0.5 | 13° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Rapid weather changes are common in the western South Dakota area where Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is located. Variations from season to season and from year to year are great. Characteristics of the climate are hot dry summers and bitterly cold winters. Wind is a constant on the Great Plains, winds in excess of 50 mph not uncommon. During the winter season, winds typically blow from the north-northwest and have been known to cause wind chills in excess of -40 degrees.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is located at three sites along a fifteen mile stretch of Interstate 90 in western South Dakota. The Visitor Center is located immediately north of I-90, exit 131. The two historic sites which make up the park are four miles (Launch Control Facility Delta-01) and 15 miles (Launch Facility Delta-09) from the Visitor Center. No public transportation systems serve the park.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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