Minaret Summit — a mountain pass in Mono County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Devils Postpile National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 7.8 km (4.8 mi) W of Mammoth Lakes.
Minaret Summit is a mountain pass on Highway 203 in the central Sierra Nevada. The pass, lying on the Madera-Mono County border, is within the Mammoth Ranger District of the Inyo National Forest and located near Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes, and Mammoth Mountain. The elevation of the pass is about 9,265 ft (2,824 m). Highway 203 ends at Minaret Summit. The road continues, now called Reds Meadow Road, until its dead end at the Reds Meadow Pack Station near the Rainbow Falls trailhead.From the Wikipedia article “Minaret Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Minaret 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:22 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:46 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Minaret Summit, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:54 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:15 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:08 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 10:04 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:07 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 67 | 72 | 86 | 91 | 96 | 91 | 90 | 82 | 74 | 62 |
| Low °F | -9 | -7 | -4 | -3 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 34 | 23 | 14 | -9 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
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
- 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.
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 Minaret Summit, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Hot Spring
Natural Arch
WaterfallWaterfall
Lake
Lake
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pumice Flat Group Camp1.7 km (1.1 mi) · reservable
- Agnew Meadows Group Camp3.9 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Agnew Horse Camp3.9 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Twin Lakes Campground6.5 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
- Lake Mary Campground7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Minaret Summit?
What time is golden hour at Minaret Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Minaret Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Minaret Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Minaret Summit?
How far is Minaret Summit from Mammoth Lakes?
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.