Top mountain passes
Mountain PassChilkoot Pass
Mountain PassAtigun Pass
Mountain PassHatcher Pass
Mountain PassTurnagain Pass
Mountain PassThompson Pass
Mountain PassEagle Summit
Mountain PassAnaktuvuk Pass
Mountain PassMentasta Pass
Mountain PassSarana Pass
Mountain PassJohnson Pass
Mountain PassAmerican Summit
Mountain PassJarmin Pass
Mountain Passes by county
All mountain passes (28)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chilkoot PassKlondike Gold Rush | Skagway Municipality | 1,068 m | Skagway | 1 |
| Atigun Pass | North Slope Borough | 1,467 m | 1 | |
| Hatcher Pass | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 1,153 m | Fishhook | 4 |
| Turnagain Pass | Kenai Peninsula Borough | 293 m | Girdwood | 2 |
| Thompson Pass | Chugach Census Area | 855 m | Valdez | 1 |
| Eagle Summit | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | — | Badger | 1 |
| Anaktuvuk Pass | North Slope Borough | 665 m | 1 | |
| Mentasta Pass | Copper River Census Area | 714 m | Tok | 1 |
| Sarana Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 407 m | 1 | |
| Johnson Pass | Kenai Peninsula Borough | — | Girdwood | 2 |
| American Summit | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | — | 1 | |
| Jarmin Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 248 m | 1 | |
| Abraham-Temnac Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 359 m | 1 | |
| Jackass Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | -1 m | 1 | |
| North Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 143 m | 1 | |
| Thiel Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 107 m | 1 | |
| Williwaw Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 166 m | 1 | |
| Kaufman Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 399 m | 1 | |
| Rainy Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 327 m | 1 | |
| Clevesy Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 137 m | 1 | |
| Alexai Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 327 m | 1 | |
| Austin Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 543 m | 1 | |
| Greenwood Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 136 m | 1 | |
| Salmon Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 61 m | 1 | |
| Middle Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 15 m | 1 | |
| Etienne Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 291 m | 1 | |
| South Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 274 m | 1 | |
| Cloudy Pass | Aleutians West Census Area | 373 m | 1 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph mountain passes
Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
- Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.