Glen Pass — a mountain pass in Fresno County, California at about 3,635 m (11,926 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 37 km (23 mi) WNW of Lone Pine.
Glen Pass (also known as Blue Flower Pass) is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada, located in Kings Canyon National Park, eastern Fresno County, California, United States. This pass, on the John Muir Trail, links Rae Lakes at 10,544 feet (3,214 m) elevation with Charlotte Lake at 11,926 feet (3,635 m) elevation. The pass was named after Glen H. Crow, a Forest Service ranger.From the Wikipedia article “Glen Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Glen 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) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 60° ENE | 8:17 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 119° ESE | 4:42 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:29 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:13 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:31 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:40 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Glen 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:42 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:50 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:07 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:01 PM – 2:11 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:22 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:15 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.8 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (53%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 90 | 99 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 88 | 81 | 70 |
| Low °F | 3 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 44 | 39 | 29 | 22 | 9 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 3.5 |
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.
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 Glen Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Onion Valley6.2 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Grays Meadows10.7 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Sheep Creek Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Moraine Campground (Ca)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Canyon View Group Sites22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Glen Pass?
What time is golden hour at Glen Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Glen Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Glen Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Glen Pass?
How far is Glen Pass from Lone Pine?
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.