Bentonville Battlefield is a state park in Johnston County, North Carolina. It sits roughly 18.0 km (11.2 mi) SSE of Four Oaks. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bentonville Battlefield, also known as the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, is an American Civil War battlefield in Johnston County, North Carolina. It was the site of the 1865 battle of Bentonville, fought in the waning days of the Civil War. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1996.From the Wikipedia article “Bentonville Battlefield”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bentonville Battlefield 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 60° ENE | 8:32 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 119° ESE | 5:05 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 46m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 5:41 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 47m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Bentonville Battlefield, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 5:05 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:20 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:17 PM – 4:07 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 2:43 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:36 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:38 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:44 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.21 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (56%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 74 | 78 | 84 | 90 | 98 | 106 | 104 | 106 | 100 | 99 | 84 | 77 |
| Low °F | 6 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 37 | 48 | 58 | 54 | 43 | 29 | 20 | 14 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bentonville Battlefield?
What time is golden hour at Bentonville Battlefield?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bentonville Battlefield?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bentonville Battlefield?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bentonville Battlefield?
How far is Bentonville Battlefield from Four Oaks?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.