Redington Pass — a mountain pass in Pima County, Arizona — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Saguaro National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Tanque Verde, about 14.3 km (8.9 mi) away (Redington Pass lies ENE of town).
Redington Pass (el. 1310 m./4300 ft.) is a high mountain pass between the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Rincons in northeast Pima County, Arizona. It is located just east of Tucson. Historically, it was the connection between the farming and ranching areas of Redington along the San Pedro River on the east side of the pass and Tucson on the west side. The road through Redington Pass is unpaved and the area throughout the pass is a favorite of mountain bikers and all-terrain vehicle riders. The area was also frequented by firearms enthusiasts, as the region contained three unofficial shooting range areas. As of 2013 these unofficial shooting ranges have been shut down by federal officials due to litter and noise pollution. The west side of the pass near Tanque Verde Falls affords views overlooking the east side of the city of Tucson, spread out across the Sonoran Desert floor below.From the Wikipedia article “Redington Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Redington 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) | 6:27 AM | 90° E | 6:34 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 61° ENE | 7:33 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:11 AM | 89° E | 6:21 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 118° ESE | 5:22 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 | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:09 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 49m |
| June | 4:48 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 5:42 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:39 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:55 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:02 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:16 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:47 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 Redington 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:02 AM – 5:02 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:57 AM – 4:17 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:57 PM – 3:47 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:12 PM – 3:32 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:08 PM – 2:08 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:36 PM – 12:06 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:52 PM – 10:02 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:12 PM – 8:02 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 76 | 83 | 90 | 97 | 106 | 111 | 108 | 107 | 104 | 98 | 89 | 77 |
| Low °F | 18 | 15 | 22 | 32 | 38 | 49 | 64 | 61 | 49 | 30 | 20 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Redington Pass, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Canyon
Scenic ViewpointWaterfallWaterfall
Mountain PeakScenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Molino9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Saguaro National Park Wilderness Permits12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Rose Canyon13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Sollers Cabin (Az)15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Palisades Ranger Residence Cabin15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Redington Pass?
What time is golden hour at Redington Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Redington Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Redington Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Redington Pass?
How far is Redington Pass from Tanque Verde?
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.