Santa Fe National Historic Trail is a National Historic Trail in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 2 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Santa Fe
We matched 2 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Santa Fe. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Rock Formations (1)
Beaches (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Santa Fe 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:54 AM | 8:34 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:45 PM | 244° | 9h 50m |
| February | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:19 PM | 255° | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:52 AM | 8:26 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:15 PM | 283° | 13h 10m |
| May | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:43 PM | 295° | 14h 12m |
| June | 6:18 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:04 PM | 301° | 14h 46m |
| July | 6:30 AM | 7:09 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:02 PM | 298° | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:34 PM | 289° | 13h 38m |
| September | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:49 PM | 275° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:49 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:04 PM | 260° | 11h 15m |
| November | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:30 PM | 247° | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:49 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:23 PM | 241° | 9h 34m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.7277, -99.9220); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Santa Fe, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:38 AM – 5:58 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:45 AM – 6:15 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:49 AM – 5:29 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:48 AM – 4:38 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:59 PM – 4:19 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:52 PM – 2:52 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 10:12 PM – 12:52 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 9:18 PM – 10:48 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 8:31 PM – 8:51 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| 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
Due to the length of the Santa Fe 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 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (55%). 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
You can visit many sites of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail over the 900-mile historic route that crosses five states.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Theater
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
