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Outdoor Activities ...
As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).
When in Big Bend, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Big Bend and the surrounding area.
- Astronomy & Satellites ...
- Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above
website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed
sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
- To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above,
we pass this GPS location for Big Bend:
- 39.305534, -120.518229
- Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
- Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Big Bend
- Bird Watching ...
- We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
- The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Placer County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
- Open the eBird sighting report for Placer County
- Since Big Bend is near Nevada County and also Shasta County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
- Open the eBird sighting report for Nevada County
- Open the eBird sighting report for Shasta County
- Waymarking ...
- Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
- Open the Waymark.com report for Big Bend
Communities Also Named Big Bend ...
We found 23 communities that are also named Big Bend.
There are four communities within California that are also named Big Bend.
Beyond California, we know of nineteen communities that are located in the United States.
- Communities Located In California ...
- Butte County
- This Big Bend is located in Butte County and lies 57 miles [91.7 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Butte County community of Big Bend.
- Calaveras County
- This community is historic<2> and although located in Calaveras County, we don't know where within the county.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Calaveras County community of Big Bend.
- Shasta County
- This Big Bend is located in Shasta County and lies 139 miles [223.7 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Shasta County community of Big Bend.
- Sonoma County
- This Big Bend is located in Sonoma County and lies 128 miles [206 km]<1> to the southwest of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sonoma County community of Big Bend.
- Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
- Arkansas
- Polk County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Arkansas community of Big Bend [Polk County].
- Colorado
- Bent County
- This Big Bend is located in Bent County and lies 958 miles [1,541.8 km]<1> to the east of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Bent County community of Big Bend.
- Florida
- Hillsborough County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Florida community of Big Bend [Hillsborough County].
- Kansas
- Jewell County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Big Bend [Jewell County].
- Phillips County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Big Bend [Phillips County].
- Republic County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Big Bend [Republic County].
- Louisiana
- Avoyelles Parish
- This Big Bend is located in Avoyelles Parish and lies 1,709 miles [2,750.4 km]<1> to the east of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Avoyelles Parish community of Big Bend.
- Michigan
- Newaygo County
- This Big Bend is located in Newaygo County and lies 1,818 miles [2,925.8 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Newaygo County community of Big Bend.
- Minnesota
- Cottonwood County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Minnesota community of Big Bend [Cottonwood County].
- Missouri
- Maries County
- This Big Bend is located in Maries County and lies 1,531 miles [2,463.9 km]<1> to the east of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Maries County community of Big Bend.
- Saint Louis County
- Although located in Saint Louis County, we don't know the location within the county.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saint Louis County community of Big Bend.
- New York
- Onondaga County
- This Big Bend is located in Onondaga County and lies 2,298 miles [3,698.3 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Onondaga County community of Big Bend.
- North Dakota
- McLean County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the North Dakota community of Big Bend [McLean County].
- Pennsylvania
- Mercer County
- This Big Bend is located in Mercer County and lies 2,102 miles [3,382.8 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Mercer County community of Big Bend.
- Venango County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Pennsylvania community of Big Bend [Venango County].
- Warren County
- This Big Bend is located in Warren County and lies 2,163 miles [3,481 km] to the east northeast of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Warren County community of Big Bend.
- South Dakota
- Pennington County
- This Big Bend is located in Pennington County and lies 939 miles [1,511.2 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pennington County community of Big Bend.
- West Virginia
- Summers County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the West Virginia community of Big Bend [Summers County].
- Wisconsin
- Waukesha County
- This Big Bend is located in Waukesha County and lies 1,689 miles [2,718.2 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Big Bend that is located in Placer County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Waukesha County community of Big Bend.
Curious and Interesting Names Near Big Bend ...
As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.
- Bear Valley ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Bear Valley is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Crystal Lake
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Crystal Lake is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake
- Donner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Donner is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donner
- Eagle Bird ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Eagle Bird is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Bird
- Emigrant Gap
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Kingvale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Meadow Lake ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rainbow
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Rainbow is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainbow
- Secret Canyon ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Secret Canyon is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Secret Canyon
- Soda Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Spruce ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Spruce is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spruce
- Summit City ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Summit City is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit City
How Far From Big Bend to ...
We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Big Bend to various places of note, such as the White House.
With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Big Bend and extending to:
- Auburn, which is the Seat of Placer County, lies 40 miles [64.4 km]<1> to the southwest. If you could walk a straight line from Big Bend to Auburn, with an average speed<5> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take over two days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take just about two full days.
- Sacramento, which is the State Capital of California, lies 72 miles [115.9 km] to the southwest (SW). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than two hours, a buggy would take most of three days and walking would take 4 days.
- The White House (Washington, DC) is 2,307 miles [3,712.8 km] to the east northeast (ENE). Driving would take 5 days, a buggy would take 91 days and walking would take 131 days.
- The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 7,280 miles [11,716 km] and it lies to the north northeast (NNE).<7>
- The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 8,047 miles [12,950.4 km] and it lies to the north northeast (NNE).<8>
- The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 6,093 miles [9,805.7 km] and it lies to the north northeast (NNE).<9>'
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Big Bend) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <2> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Big Bend, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.
Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.
Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.
Also keep in mind that Big Bend could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out. |
| <4> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <5> | While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day. |
| <6> | The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Big Bend to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Big Bend. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.3055, Longitude: -120.5182 |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 338.767 degrees. |
| <8> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 339.51 degrees. |
| <9> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 326.986 degrees. |
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