diff --git a/src/consts.ts b/src/consts.ts
index 6d64935f..a7272848 100644
--- a/src/consts.ts
+++ b/src/consts.ts
@@ -11,4 +11,6 @@ export const DEFAULT_TEXTURE_RESOLUTION = 10
 export const DEFAULT_EDGE_POINTS = 20
 export const DEFAULT_EDGE_MINIMUM_BEZIER = 64
 export const DEFAULT_HORIZONTAL_SCALE_MULTIPLIER = 0.25
-export const DEFAULT_HORIZONTAL_SCALE = 1
\ No newline at end of file
+export const DEFAULT_HORIZONTAL_SCALE = 1
+export const DEFAULT_GUIDES_COUNT = 30
+export const DEFAULT_GUIDES_MIN_GAP = 260
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/factories/guide.ts b/src/factories/guide.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5f23627
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/factories/guide.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import { Container } from 'pixi.js'
+import { rectangleFactory } from '@/factories/rectangle'
+import { FormatDate } from '@/models/guides'
+import { waitForViewport } from '@/objects'
+import { waitForApplication } from '@/objects/application'
+import { waitForConfig } from '@/objects/config'
+import { waitForCull } from '@/objects/culling'
+import { waitForFonts } from '@/objects/fonts'
+import { waitForScale } from '@/objects/scale'
+
+export type GuideFactory = Awaited<ReturnType<typeof guideFactory>>
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/explicit-function-return-type
+export async function guideFactory() {
+  const application = await waitForApplication()
+  const viewport = await waitForViewport()
+  const cull = await waitForCull()
+  const config = await waitForConfig()
+  const { inter } = await waitForFonts()
+
+  const element = new Container()
+  cull.add(element)
+
+  const rectangle = await rectangleFactory()
+  element.addChild(rectangle)
+
+  const label = inter('')
+  element.addChild(label)
+
+  let currentDate: Date | undefined
+  let currentLabelFormatter: FormatDate
+
+  application.ticker.add(() => {
+    updatePosition()
+
+    if (element.height !== application.screen.height) {
+      renderLine()
+    }
+  })
+
+  async function render(date: Date, labelFormatter: FormatDate): Promise<void> {
+    currentDate = date
+    currentLabelFormatter = labelFormatter
+
+    renderLine()
+    await renderLabel(date)
+  }
+
+  function renderLine(): void {
+    rectangle.width = config.styles.guideLineWidth
+    rectangle.height = application.screen.height
+    rectangle.tint = config.styles.guideLineColor
+  }
+
+  function renderLabel(date: Date): void {
+    label.text = currentLabelFormatter(date)
+    label.fontSize = config.styles.guideTextSize
+    label.tint = config.styles.guideTextColor
+    label.position.set(config.styles.guideTextLeftPadding, config.styles.guideTextTopPadding)
+  }
+
+  async function updatePosition(): Promise<void> {
+    const scale = await waitForScale()
+    if (currentDate !== undefined) {
+      element.position.x = scale(currentDate) * viewport.scale._x + viewport.worldTransform.tx
+    }
+  }
+
+  return {
+    element,
+    render,
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/factories/guides.ts b/src/factories/guides.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..737c3e44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/factories/guides.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+import { Container } from 'pixi.js'
+import { DEFAULT_GUIDES_COUNT, DEFAULT_GUIDES_MIN_GAP } from '@/consts'
+import { GuideFactory, guideFactory } from '@/factories/guide'
+import { FormatDate } from '@/models/guides'
+import { LayoutSettings } from '@/models/layout'
+import { waitForViewport } from '@/objects'
+import { emitter } from '@/objects/events'
+import { waitForScale } from '@/objects/scale'
+import { repeat } from '@/utilities/repeat'
+import { formatDateFns, labelFormats, timeIncrements } from '@/utilities/timeIncrements'
+
+const visibleGuideBoundsMargin = 300
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/explicit-function-return-type
+export async function guidesFactory() {
+  const viewport = await waitForViewport()
+
+  const element = new Container()
+  const guides = new Map<number, GuideFactory>()
+
+  let paused = false
+
+  let currentIncrement = 0
+  let currentAnchor = 0
+  let labelFormatter: FormatDate = (date) => date.toLocaleTimeString()
+
+  emitter.on('viewportDateRangeUpdated', () => {
+    update()
+  })
+  emitter.on('layoutCreated', (layout) => onLayoutUpdate(layout))
+  emitter.on('layoutUpdated', (layout) => onLayoutUpdate(layout))
+
+  function render(): void {
+    createGuides()
+  }
+
+  async function createGuides(): Promise<void> {
+    const guideIndexes = Array.from({ length: DEFAULT_GUIDES_COUNT }, (val, i) => i)
+
+    for await (const guideIndex of guideIndexes) {
+      await createGuide(guideIndex)
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function createGuide(index: number): Promise<void> {
+    if (guides.has(index)) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const response = await guideFactory()
+
+    element.addChild(response.element)
+
+    guides.set(index, response)
+  }
+
+  async function update(): Promise<void> {
+    if (paused) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const scale = await waitForScale()
+    const left = scale.invert(viewport.left - visibleGuideBoundsMargin)
+    const gapDate = scale.invert(viewport.left - visibleGuideBoundsMargin + DEFAULT_GUIDES_MIN_GAP / viewport.scale.x)
+
+    if (!(left instanceof Date) || !(gapDate instanceof Date)) {
+      console.warn('Guides: Attempted to update guides with a non-temporal layout.')
+      return
+    }
+
+    const gap = gapDate.getTime() - left.getTime()
+    const { increment, getAnchor, labelFormat } = timeIncrements.find(timeSlot => timeSlot.ceiling > gap) ?? timeIncrements[0]
+
+    const anchor = getAnchor === undefined
+      ? Math.floor(left.getTime() / increment) * increment
+      : getAnchor(left)
+
+    if (increment !== currentIncrement || anchor !== currentAnchor) {
+      currentIncrement = increment
+      currentAnchor = anchor
+      setLabelFormat(labelFormat)
+    }
+
+    setGuides()
+  }
+
+  function setLabelFormat(labelFormat: string): void {
+    switch (labelFormat) {
+      case labelFormats.minutes:
+        labelFormatter = formatDateFns.timeByMinutesWithDates
+        break
+      case labelFormats.date:
+        labelFormatter = formatDateFns.date
+        break
+      default:
+        labelFormatter = formatDateFns.timeBySeconds
+    }
+  }
+
+  function setGuides(): void {
+    const times = getGuideTimes()
+    const guidesStore = new Map(guides.entries())
+    const unused = Array.from(guidesStore.keys()).filter((time) => {
+      return !times.includes(time)
+    })
+
+    guides.clear()
+
+    for (const time of times) {
+      if (guidesStore.has(time)) {
+        const guide = guidesStore.get(time)!
+
+        guides.set(time, guide)
+
+        continue
+      }
+
+      const guide = guidesStore.get(unused.pop() ?? -1)
+
+      if (guide === undefined) {
+        console.warn('Guides: No unused guides available to render.')
+        continue
+      }
+
+      guide.render(new Date(time), labelFormatter)
+      guides.set(time, guide)
+    }
+  }
+
+  function getGuideTimes(): number[] {
+    return repeat(DEFAULT_GUIDES_COUNT, (index) => {
+      return currentAnchor + currentIncrement * index
+    })
+  }
+
+  function onLayoutUpdate(layout: LayoutSettings): void {
+    if (!layout.isTrace()) {
+      pauseGuides()
+      return
+    }
+
+    resumeGuides()
+  }
+
+  function pauseGuides(): void {
+    paused = true
+    element.visible = false
+  }
+
+  function resumeGuides(): void {
+    paused = false
+    update()
+    element.visible = true
+  }
+
+  return {
+    element,
+    render,
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/models/RunGraph.ts b/src/models/RunGraph.ts
index 3ab9afae..90447116 100644
--- a/src/models/RunGraph.ts
+++ b/src/models/RunGraph.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ export type RunGraphStyles = {
   nodeToggleBorderColor?: ColorSource,
   nodeSelectedBorderColor?: ColorSource,
   edgeColor?: string,
+  guideLineWidth?: number,
+  guideLineColor?: string,
+  guideTextTopPadding?: number,
+  guideTextLeftPadding?: number,
+  guideTextSize?: number,
+  guideTextColor?: string,
   node?: (node: RunGraphNode) => RunGraphNodeStyles,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/models/guides.ts b/src/models/guides.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3cb9fdd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/models/guides.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+export type FormatDate = (date: Date) => string
+
+export type FormatDateFns = {
+  timeBySeconds: FormatDate,
+  timeByMinutesWithDates: FormatDate,
+  date: FormatDate,
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/objects/application.ts b/src/objects/application.ts
index 37a7de0e..350d4c6f 100644
--- a/src/objects/application.ts
+++ b/src/objects/application.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ function createApplication(stage: HTMLDivElement): void {
     resolution: window.devicePixelRatio,
   })
 
+  // for setting the viewport above the guides
+  application.stage.sortableChildren = true
+
   stage.appendChild(application.view as HTMLCanvasElement)
 
   emitter.emit('applicationCreated', application)
diff --git a/src/objects/config.ts b/src/objects/config.ts
index dec26358..153d9fee 100644
--- a/src/objects/config.ts
+++ b/src/objects/config.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ const defaults: Omit<RequiredGraphConfig, 'runId' | 'fetch'> = {
     nodeToggleBorderColor: '#51525C',
     nodeSelectedBorderColor: 'rgba(104, 125, 155, 0.4)',
     edgeColor: '#51525C',
+    guideLineWidth: 1,
+    guideLineColor: '#51525C',
+    guideTextTopPadding: 8,
+    guideTextLeftPadding: 8,
+    guideTextSize: 12,
+    guideTextColor: '#ADADAD',
     node: () => ({
       background: '#ffffff',
     }),
diff --git a/src/objects/guides.ts b/src/objects/guides.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19ac7c69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/objects/guides.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { guidesFactory } from '@/factories/guides'
+import { waitForApplication } from '@/objects/application'
+
+export async function startGuides(): Promise<void> {
+  const application = await waitForApplication()
+  const { element, render } = await guidesFactory()
+
+  application.stage.addChild(element)
+
+  render()
+}
+
+export function stopGuides(): void {
+  // nothing to stop
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/objects/index.ts b/src/objects/index.ts
index 7c9c47cf..8b66dce5 100644
--- a/src/objects/index.ts
+++ b/src/objects/index.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { startCulling, stopCulling } from '@/objects/culling'
 import { startEdgeCulling, stopEdgeCulling } from '@/objects/edgeCulling'
 import { emitter } from '@/objects/events'
 import { startFonts, stopFonts } from '@/objects/fonts'
+import { startGuides, stopGuides } from '@/objects/guides'
 import { startLabelCulling, stopLabelCulling } from '@/objects/labelCulling'
 import { startNodes, stopNodes } from '@/objects/nodes'
 import { startScale, stopScale } from '@/objects/scale'
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ export function start({ stage, props }: StartParameters): void {
   startApplication()
   startViewport(props)
   startScale()
+  startGuides()
   startNodes()
   startScope()
   startFonts()
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ export function stop(): void {
   stopApplication()
   stopViewport()
   stopScale()
+  stopGuides()
   stopStage()
   stopNodes()
   stopConfig()
diff --git a/src/objects/viewport.ts b/src/objects/viewport.ts
index d2e7ff60..3ec2e6ce 100644
--- a/src/objects/viewport.ts
+++ b/src/objects/viewport.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ export async function startViewport(props: RunGraphProps): Promise<void> {
     passiveWheel: false,
   })
 
+  // ensures the viewport is above the guides
+  viewport.zIndex = 1
+
   viewport
     .drag()
     .pinch()
diff --git a/src/utilities/timeIncrements.ts b/src/utilities/timeIncrements.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f6da6dd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utilities/timeIncrements.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+import { FormatDateFns } from '@/models/guides'
+
+function formatDateBySeconds(date: Date): string {
+  return date.toLocaleTimeString()
+}
+function formatDateByMinutes(date: Date): string {
+  const currentLocale = navigator.language
+  return new Intl.DateTimeFormat(currentLocale, { timeStyle: 'short' }).format(date)
+}
+function formatDate(date: Date): string {
+  const currentLocale = navigator.language
+  return new Intl.DateTimeFormat(currentLocale, { dateStyle: 'short' }).format(date)
+}
+
+function formatByMinutesWithDates(date: Date): string {
+  if (date.getHours() === 0 && date.getMinutes() === 0) {
+    return `${formatDateFns.date(date)}\n${formatDateByMinutes(date)}`
+  }
+
+  return formatDateByMinutes(date)
+}
+
+export const formatDateFns: FormatDateFns = {
+  timeBySeconds: formatDateBySeconds,
+  timeByMinutesWithDates: formatByMinutesWithDates,
+  date: formatDate,
+}
+
+export const labelFormats = {
+  seconds: 'seconds',
+  minutes: 'minutes',
+  date: 'date',
+}
+
+const getRoundedAnchor = {
+  day: (date: Date): number => {
+    const dateCopy = new Date(date.getTime())
+    dateCopy.setHours(0, 0, 0, 0)
+    return dateCopy.getTime()
+  },
+  week: (date: Date): number => {
+    const dateCopy = new Date(date.getTime())
+    dateCopy.setHours(0, 0, 0, 0)
+    dateCopy.setDate(date.getDate() - date.getDay() + 1)
+    return dateCopy.getTime()
+  },
+}
+
+export const timeLengths = {
+  second: 1000,
+  minute: 1000 * 60,
+  hour: 1000 * 60 * 60,
+  day: 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24,
+  week: 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 7,
+}
+
+export const timeIncrements = [
+  {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.second * 4,
+    increment: timeLengths.second,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.seconds,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.second * 8,
+    increment: timeLengths.second * 5,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.seconds,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.second * 13,
+    increment: timeLengths.second * 10,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.seconds,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.second * 20,
+    increment: timeLengths.second * 15,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.seconds,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.second * 45,
+    increment: timeLengths.second * 30,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.seconds,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.minute * 4,
+    increment: timeLengths.minute,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.minute * 8,
+    increment: timeLengths.minute * 5,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.minute * 13,
+    increment: timeLengths.minute * 10,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.minute * 28,
+    increment: timeLengths.minute * 15,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.hour * 1.24,
+    increment: timeLengths.minute * 30,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.hour * 3,
+    increment: timeLengths.hour,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.hour * 8,
+    increment: timeLengths.hour * 2,
+    getAnchor: getRoundedAnchor.day,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.hour * 13,
+    increment: timeLengths.hour * 6,
+    getAnchor: getRoundedAnchor.day,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.hour * 22,
+    increment: timeLengths.hour * 12,
+    getAnchor: getRoundedAnchor.day,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.minutes,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.day * 4,
+    increment: timeLengths.day,
+    getAnchor: getRoundedAnchor.day,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.date,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: timeLengths.week * 2,
+    increment: timeLengths.week,
+    getAnchor: getRoundedAnchor.week,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.date,
+  }, {
+    ceiling: Infinity,
+    increment: timeLengths.week * 4,
+    labelFormat: labelFormats.date,
+  },
+]
\ No newline at end of file