Nicodemus National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Kansas. 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 Nicodemus the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:58 AM | 8:39 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:39 PM | 243° | 9h 42m |
| February | 7:31 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:16 PM | 255° | 10h 44m |
| March | 7:51 AM | 8:26 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 284° | 13h 14m |
| May | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 296° | 14h 20m |
| June | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:08 PM | 302° | 14h 56m |
| July | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:05 PM | 299° | 14h 41m |
| August | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:36 PM | 289° | 13h 44m |
| September | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:49 AM | 8:25 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:01 PM | 260° | 11h 12m |
| November | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:25 PM | 247° | 10h 02m |
| December | 7:52 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:17 PM | 240° | 9h 25m |
Computed for the park's reference point (39.3917, -99.6168); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Nicodemus, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | 5:45 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.2 | 12° |
| March | 4:55 AM – 6:15 AM | 1.3 | 18° |
| April | 2:52 AM – 5:22 AM | 2.5 | 21° |
| May | 12:55 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.5 | 22° |
| June | 11:09 PM – 4:09 AM | 5.0 | 22° |
| July | 11:01 PM – 2:41 AM | 3.7 | 22° |
| August | 10:16 PM – 12:36 AM | 2.3 | 21° |
| September | 9:20 PM – 10:40 PM | 1.3 | 18° |
| October | 8:30 PM – 8:40 PM | 0.2 | 12° |
| 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
Northwest Kansas has a four-season climate typified by long, hot summers, cold winters, short spring and fall seasons, and a nearly constant breeze. Humidity is relatively low compared to the eastern portion of the state. Afternoon thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and gusty winds frequently occur during the spring and summer. Tornados are possible but are less common in Kansas than they are in several other states. Snow accumulation from winter blizzards occasionally causes site to close.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 38% 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
Nicodemus National Historic Site is located in northwestern Kansas on Highway 24 between Hill City and Stockton.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
