Top mountain passes
Mountain PassCahuenga Pass
Mountain PassCajon Pass
Mountain PassDonner Pass
Mountain PassTejon Pass
Mountain PassTioga Pass
Mountain PassForester Pass
Mountain PassCarson Pass
Mountain PassSonora Pass
Mountain PassWalker Pass
Mountain PassEbbetts Pass
Mountain PassMono Pass
Mountain PassSherman Pass (California)
Mountain Passes by county
- Alpine County4
- Fresno County7
- Inyo County6
- Kern County4
- Los Angeles County11
- Mono County7
- San Bernardino County3
- Tulare County6
- Tuolumne County3
All mountain passes (74)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cahuenga Pass | Los Angeles County | 227 m | Universal City | 9 |
| Cajon Pass | San Bernardino County | 1,169 m | Oak Hills | 5 |
| Donner Pass | Placer County | 2,162 m | Truckee | 3 |
| Tejon Pass | Los Angeles County | 1,268 m | Lebec | 4 |
| Tioga PassYosemite | Tuolumne County | 3,031 m | Yosemite Valley | 2 |
| Forester PassSequoia & Kings Canyon | Tulare County | 3,998 m | Lone Pine | 2 |
| Carson Pass | Alpine County | 2,619 m | South Lake Tahoe | 3 |
| Sonora Pass | Mono County | 2,929 m | Topaz Ranch Estates | 3 |
| Walker Pass | Kern County | 1,610 m | Inyokern | 3 |
| Ebbetts Pass | Alpine County | 2,669 m | Topaz Ranch Estates | 3 |
| Mono Pass | Tuolumne County | 3,238 m | Mammoth Lakes | 2 |
| Sherman Pass (California) | Tulare County | 2,785 m | Kernville | 3 |
| Donohue Pass | Mono County | 3,373 m | Mammoth Lakes | 2 |
| Glen PassSequoia & Kings Canyon | Fresno County | 3,635 m | Lone Pine | 2 |
| Kearsarge PassSequoia & Kings Canyon | Fresno County | 3,569 m | Lone Pine | 2 |
| Pacheco Pass | Santa Clara County | 413 m | Hollister | 4 |
| Beckwourth Pass | Plumas County | 1,586 m | Cold Springs | 3 |
| Red Box | Los Angeles County | 1,413 m | Altadena | 7 |
| Bishop Pass | Fresno County | 3,649 m | Big Pine | 2 |
| Taboose Pass | Inyo County | 3,480 m | Big Pine | 2 |
| Santa Susana Pass | Ventura County | 490 m | Chatsworth | 8 |
| Westgard Pass | Inyo County | 2,232 m | Big Pine | 2 |
| Fandango Pass | Modoc County | 1,870 m | Lakeview | 1 |
| Muir Pass | Fresno County | 3,650 m | West Bishop | 2 |
| Cuesta Pass | San Luis Obispo County | 472 m | Santa Margarita | 5 |
| Monitor Pass | Alpine County | 2,533 m | Topaz Ranch Estates | 3 |
| Polonio Pass | San Luis Obispo County | 429 m | Shandon | 3 |
| Sawmill Pass | Inyo County | 3,447 m | Big Pine | 2 |
| San Marcos Pass | Santa Barbara County | 676 m | Goleta | 5 |
| Kaweah GapSequoia & Kings Canyon | Tulare County | 3,258 m | Three Rivers | 2 |
| Soledad Pass | Los Angeles County | 978 m | Vincent | 7 |
| Ibex Pass | Inyo County | 633 m | Pahrump | 2 |
| Mission Pass | Alameda County | 202 m | Fremont | 7 |
| Triunfo Pass | Ventura County | 641 m | Casa Conejo | 6 |
| Devil's Gate Pass | Mono County | — | Topaz Ranch Estates | 2 |
| Sepulveda Pass | Los Angeles County | — | Sherman Oaks | 8 |
| Newhall Pass | Los Angeles County | — | Santa Clarita | 7 |
| Echo Summit | El Dorado County | — | South Lake Tahoe | 3 |
| Fredonyer Pass | Lassen County | 1,753 m | Westwood | 2 |
| Beale's Cut | Los Angeles County | — | Santa Clarita | 7 |
| Minaret SummitDevils Postpile | Mono County | — | Mammoth Lakes | 3 |
| Conway Summit | Mono County | — | Yosemite Valley | 2 |
| Trail Crest | Inyo County | — | Lone Pine | 2 |
| Escondido Summit | Los Angeles County | — | Acton | 6 |
| Sherwin Summit | Mono County | — | West Bishop | 2 |
| Deadman Summit | Mono County | — | Mammoth Lakes | 2 |
| Luther Pass | Alpine County | 2,355 m | South Lake Tahoe | 3 |
| Italy Pass | Inyo County | 3,782 m | West Bishop | 2 |
| Burro PassYosemite | Tuolumne County | 3,233 m | Yosemite Valley | 2 |
| Silliman PassSequoia & Kings Canyon | Tulare County | 3,101 m | Three Rivers | 3 |
| Piute Pass | Fresno County | 3,480 m | West Bishop | 2 |
| Yaqui Pass, California | San Diego County | 531 m | Borrego Springs | 4 |
| Panoche PassPinnacles | San Benito County | 647 m | Soledad | 3 |
| Mendocino Pass | Glenn County | 1,519 m | Covelo | 2 |
| Hecker Pass | Santa Cruz County | 410 m | Interlaken | 5 |
| Henness Pass | Sierra County | 2,108 m | Truckee | 3 |
| Yuba Pass | Sierra County | 2,045 m | Portola | 3 |
| Oak Creek Pass | Kern County | 1,476 m | Tehachapi | 4 |
| Mather Pass | Fresno County | 3,678 m | Big Pine | 2 |
| Pinchot Pass | Fresno County | 3,685 m | Big Pine | 2 |
| Vogelsang PassYosemite | Mariposa County | 3,255 m | Yosemite Valley | 2 |
| Timber Gap | Tulare County | 2,899 m | Three Rivers | 3 |
| Farewell Gap | Tulare County | 3,243 m | Three Rivers | 3 |
| Dawson Saddle | Los Angeles County | 2,421 m | Wrightwood | 5 |
| Teofulio Summit | San Diego County | — | Julian | 4 |
| Petaluma Gap | Sonoma County | — | Petaluma | 6 |
| Red Pass | San Bernardino County | — | Fort Irwin | 3 |
| Mill Creek Summit | Los Angeles County | — | Vincent | 6 |
| Ridgewood Summit | Mendocino County | — | Willits | 3 |
| San Francisquito Pass | Los Angeles County | — | Green Valley | 5 |
| Old Tejon Pass | Kern County | — | Stallion Springs | 4 |
| Onyx Summit | San Bernardino County | — | Big Bear City | 4 |
| Morgan SummitLassen Volcanic | Tehama County | — | Chester | 2 |
| Dagany Gap | Kern County | — | Kettleman City | 3 |
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.