Located in El Dorado County, California, Echo Summit is a mountain pass. The nearest town is South Lake Tahoe, about 13.9 km (8.6 mi) away (Echo Summit lies SSW of town).
Echo Summit is a mountain pass over the Sierra Nevada in the western United States, located in eastern El Dorado County, California. At 7,377 ft (2,249 m) above sea level, it is the highest point on U.S. Route 50 in California, which traverses it at postmile 66.48 between Twin Bridges and Meyers, south of Lake Tahoe. The "Sierra Nevada Southern Route" (a.k.a. the "Pioneer Route") of the Lincoln Highway, the first road across the United States, was routed over nearby Johnson Pass in 1913. The current alignment over Echo Summit was constructed between 1936 and 1939. The "Sierra Nevada Northern Route" of the Lincoln Highway went over Donner Pass. Echo Summit is a trailhead for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail.From the Wikipedia article “Echo Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Echo Summit the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:29 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Echo Summit, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 3:53 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:25 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:18 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:05 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:00 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:11 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.31 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 72 | 70 | 75 | 84 | 97 | 104 | 107 | 103 | 107 | 97 | 83 | 70 |
| Low °F | 17 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 32 | 38 | 46 | 46 | 38 | 32 | 12 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 6.0 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Echo Summit, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Waterfall
Waterfall
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lovers Leap Campground9.7 km (6.0 mi)
- Caples Lake Campground12.3 km (7.6 mi)
- Kit Carson Campground12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Fallen Leaf Campground12.7 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- Hope Valley12.8 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Echo Summit?
What time is golden hour at Echo Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Echo Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Echo Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Echo Summit?
How far is Echo Summit from South Lake Tahoe?
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.