Pecos National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in New Mexico. 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 Pecos 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 245° | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:45 PM | 255° | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 283° | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 294° | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 300° | 14h 33m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 298° | 14h 20m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:53 PM | 288° | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:11 PM | 274° | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 260° | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:57 PM | 248° | 10h 18m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 242° | 9h 46m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.5419, -105.6815); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Pecos, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:56 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 12:01 AM – 4:11 AM | 4.2 | 26° |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:59 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:27 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:24 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Pecos National Historical Park is located at nearly 7,000 feet in altitude in the high desert region of Northern New Mexico. Please know your limits at this high desert altitude. We recommend that you wear clothing appropriate to the season, bring plenty of water, stop for a snack or lunch at one of the picnic tables, wear comfortable shoes, and put on plenty of sunscreen. Specific daily Pecos weather information may be accessed at this link: http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/weather.htm.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and December 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
Pecos National Historical Park is 25 miles east of Santa Fe, New Mexico off of Interstate 25. Visitors travelling north on I-25: take exit 299 on to HWY 50 to Pecos village and south two miles on State Road 63. Those travelling south on I-25: take exit 307 and proceed four miles north to the Park on State Road 63.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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NM/WA
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NM
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