Located in Navajo County, Arizona, Marsh Pass is a mountain pass at about 1,860 m (6,102 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 17.8 km (11.1 mi) WSW of Kayenta.
Marsh Pass, also known as La Puerta Limita, "The Border Gate", is a gap in Navajo County, Arizona. It lies at an elevation of 6,102 feet (1,860 meters) along Laguña Creek. The name of Marsh Pass is thought to come from its location along a chain of swamps and lakes in the pass, that have since been drained by a deep arroyo.From the Wikipedia article “Marsh Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Marsh Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 60° ENE | 8:44 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 119° ESE | 5:10 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 40m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Marsh Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 5:08 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 4:25 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:35 PM – 4:05 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:39 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:40 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:39 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:13 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 27% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). 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 | 60 | 66 | 77 | 84 | 94 | 101 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 85 | 76 | 61 |
| Low °F | -1 | -4 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 35 | 51 | 49 | 31 | 12 | 10 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
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 Marsh Pass, closest first.
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
CanyonCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Marsh Pass?
What time is golden hour at Marsh Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Marsh Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Marsh Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Marsh Pass?
How far is Marsh Pass from Kayenta?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.