Located in Los Angeles County, California, Dawson Saddle is a mountain pass at about 2,421 m (7,943 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Wrightwood, about 15.6 km (9.7 mi) away (Dawson Saddle lies W of town).
Dawson Saddle is a saddle and mountain pass over the San Gabriel Mountains located in northeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. At 7,943 ft (2,421 m), it is the highest point along the Angeles Crest Highway and the second highest mountain pass in Southern California after Onyx Summit.From the Wikipedia article “Dawson Saddle”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dawson Saddle 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 61° ENE | 8:07 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 118° ESE | 4:46 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 52m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Dawson Saddle, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:29 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:43 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 4:41 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 4:04 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:50 PM – 3:50 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:46 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:11 PM – 12:21 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:24 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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
- Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Dawson Saddle, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
CanyonCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jackson Flats862 m · reservable
- Southfork Campground3.5 km (2.2 mi)
- Deer Group Camp5.1 km (3.2 mi) · reservable
- Sycamore Flat Campground5.5 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Crystal Lake5.6 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dawson Saddle?
What time is golden hour at Dawson Saddle?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dawson Saddle?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dawson Saddle?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dawson Saddle?
How far is Dawson Saddle from Wrightwood?
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.