Pea Ridge National Military Park is a National Military Park in Arkansas. 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 Pea Ridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 244° | 9h 57m |
| February | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:57 PM | 255° | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:24 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:50 PM | 283° | 13h 07m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 295° | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:36 PM | 300° | 14h 38m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 298° | 14h 25m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:08 PM | 288° | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:41 PM | 260° | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 248° | 10h 14m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:03 PM | 241° | 9h 41m |
Computed for the park's reference point (36.4544, -94.0347); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Pea Ridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.5 | 14° |
| March | 4:20 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.7 | 21° |
| April | 2:11 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 4.0 | 25° |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.5 | 25° |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:42 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:33 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:32 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 8:07 PM – 8:37 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
Pea Ridge National Military Park is located in the northwestern part of the state and is on a part of the Ozark Plateau. The climate is hot and humid in the summers, has mild temperatures in the fall, and drier and cooler temperatures in the winter. During the spring and summer, active thunderstorms can pop up. During the winter months, the wind chill factor can make the temperature feel much colder than the air temperature. The winters can be cold with some snow and ice.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 entrance road is located on Highway 62, 1.3 miles east of the intersection of Highways 62 and 72. As one is driving along highway 62, watch for the brown road signs directing one to the entrance road to the park's visitor center.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Living History
- Historic Weapons Demonstration
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Nearby parks
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