Gates Pass is a mountain pass in Pima County, Arizona. It is part of Tucson Mountain County Park. The nearest town is Tucson Estates, about 6.9 km (4.3 mi) away (Gates Pass lies N of town).
Gates Pass is a mountain pass along the crest of the Tucson Mountains. The road through the pass is a scenic route west of Tucson, Arizona. The road from the east is West Anklam Road which merges with West Speedway Boulevard in the city just east of North Camino De Oeste. West of the pass the road is known as Saguaro Road and continues until it reaches Kinney Road just north of Old Tucson. The elevation of the pass is 3,172 feet (967 m). The road is lined with scenic overlooks, and is an area where locals and tourists come to watch the sunset.From the Wikipedia article “Gates Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gates Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 61° ENE | 7:35 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 118° ESE | 5:24 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 02m |
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
Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:18 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:01 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:57 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 03m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), 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 Gates Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:59 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:59 PM – 3:49 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:14 PM – 3:34 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:10 PM – 2:10 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:38 PM – 12:08 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:54 PM – 10:04 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:14 PM – 8:04 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.55 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 84 | 87 | 97 | 102 | 111 | 117 | 114 | 112 | 111 | 104 | 95 | 84 |
| Low °F | 21 | 19 | 28 | 37 | 42 | 58 | 66 | 67 | 55 | 36 | 25 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.1 |
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 mountain pass
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Warm layers, Road-condition app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Gates Pass, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Mountain PeakScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Cactus Ramada 227 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Cactus Ramada 127 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gates Pass?
What time is golden hour at Gates Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gates Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gates Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gates Pass?
How far is Gates Pass from Tucson Estates?
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.