Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Colorado. 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 Sand Creek Massacre the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:53 PM | 243° | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:28 PM | 255° | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:57 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 283° | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 295° | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:17 PM | 301° | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 299° | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 289° | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:00 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:13 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:38 PM | 247° | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:43 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:31 PM | 241° | 9h 29m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.5641, -102.5170); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Sand Creek Massacre, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 4:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| March | 4:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:01 AM – 4:31 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:02 AM – 3:42 AM | 3.7 | 23° |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:24 AM | 5.2 | 23° |
| July | 10:07 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| August | 9:24 PM – 11:54 PM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM | 1.5 | 19° |
| October | 7:41 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| 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
Weather conditions at the park vary considerably. Temperatures range from over 100°F in summer to under 20°F in winter. Visitors can expect blowing dust and sand year-round, especially during infrequent storms. Some of these storms produce violent tornadoes or large blizzards, so prepare accordingly, and contact the on-duty Ranger to ask about road conditions at (719)-438-5916
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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
The Sand Creek Massacre is located in Kiowa County, Colorado. To visit the site, follow Colorado State Highway 96 east off Highway 287 near Eads, or west off Highway 385 at Sheridan Lake. Near Chivington, turn north onto County Road 54/Chief White Antelope Way or at Brandon, turn north onto County Road 59. Follow these roads to their intersections with County Road W. The park entrance is along CR W a mile east (right) of CR 54 or several miles west (left) of CR 59.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
