Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail is a National Historic Trail in Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming. 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 Mormon Pioneer the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:43 PM | 242° | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 254° | 10h 39m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:54 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 284° | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:59 PM | 297° | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:23 PM | 303° | 15h 08m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 300° | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:48 PM | 290° | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:58 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:08 PM | 259° | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:17 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:29 PM | 246° | 9h 53m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:20 PM | 239° | 9h 13m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.2650, -101.8408); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Mormon Pioneer, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | 5:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.0 | 10° |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 2.2 | 19° |
| May | 12:13 AM – 3:33 AM | 3.3 | 20° |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.5 | 20° |
| July | 10:21 PM – 1:41 AM | 3.3 | 20° |
| August | 9:32 PM – 11:32 PM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 8:32 PM – 9:32 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | 7:39 PM – 7:39 PM | 0.0 | 10° |
| 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
Due to the length of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, be sure to consult local weather sources for the region you'll be visiting. Check out the forecast with the National Weather Service and search for the area you'd like to visit: weather.gov
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail crosses five states following the route the Pioneer Company of 1846-1847 established from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Salt Lake City, Utah, covering about 1,300 miles.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
