Oregon National Historic Trail is a National Historic Trail in Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington, 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 Oregon 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:45 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:12 PM | 242° | 9h 28m |
| February | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:52 PM | 254° | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:25 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 284° | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 297° | 14h 34m |
| June | 5:43 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 303° | 15h 13m |
| July | 5:57 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:53 PM | 301° | 14h 56m |
| August | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 290° | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:30 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:32 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:38 PM | 259° | 11h 07m |
| November | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:59 PM | 246° | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:40 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:49 PM | 239° | 9h 08m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.9877, -109.6342); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Oregon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | 4:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.8 | 15° |
| April | 2:51 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 12:50 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| June | 11:09 PM – 3:29 AM | 4.3 | 19° |
| July | 10:59 PM – 2:09 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| August | 10:08 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.0 | 18° |
| September | 9:05 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.0 | 15° |
| 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
Due to the length of the Oregon 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 (67%). 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
More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail in six states- reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American settlers.
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
Nearby parks
CA/CO
CA/CO
WY
CO/UT