Mendocino Pass — a mountain pass in Glenn County, California at about 1,519 m (4,984 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 27 km (17 mi) E of Covelo.
Mendocino Pass is a mountain pass located in the Northern Coast Ranges in California. The pass, in the extreme northwest corner of Glenn County, is at an elevation of about 5,006 feet (1,526 m) and at the gap, two dirt roads intersect. One of them is US Forest Highway 7, a dirt road connecting two disjointed sections of State Route 162. The pass and dirt roads are closed in winter due to heavy snowfall.From the Wikipedia article “Mendocino Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mendocino Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 58° ENE | 8:44 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 121° ESE | 4:51 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Mendocino Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.2 | 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: 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 ≈ 21.76 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 10% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 72 | 79 | 90 | 103 | 111 | 116 | 113 | 110 | 102 | 88 | 72 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 35 | 40 | 52 | 51 | 42 | 35 | 24 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.8 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 6.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Mendocino Pass, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sugar Spring Campground7.4 km (4.6 mi)
- Masterson Group Campground9.8 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
- Howard Meadows Campground10.6 km (6.6 mi)
- General Campgrounds & Trailheads10.8 km (6.7 mi)
- Green Springs Campground20.0 km (12.4 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mendocino Pass?
What time is golden hour at Mendocino Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mendocino Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mendocino Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mendocino Pass?
How far is Mendocino Pass from Covelo?
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.