Hell Pass Coast — a beach in Saint Bernard Parish, Louisiana — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Waveland, about 40 km (25 mi) away (Hell Pass Coast lies S of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hell Pass Coast the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 62° ENE | 8:02 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 117° ESE | 5:03 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 5:29 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 14m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Hell Pass Coast, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:17 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:28 AM – 4:58 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:25 PM – 4:25 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:37 PM – 4:17 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:34 PM – 2:54 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:06 PM – 12:46 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:44 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:47 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.59 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (67%). August 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 | 72 | 76 | 78 | 82 | 88 | 90 | 91 | 93 | 91 | 85 | 82 | 74 |
| Low °F | 31 | 38 | 39 | 49 | 56 | 72 | 79 | 74 | 69 | 53 | 44 | 40 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 5.7 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 4.8 |
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 beach
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Comfort Island, 12.2 km (7.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hell Pass Coast?
What time is golden hour at Hell Pass Coast?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hell Pass Coast?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hell Pass Coast?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hell Pass Coast?
How far is Hell Pass Coast from Waveland?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.