Located in San Bernardino County, California, Onyx Summit is a mountain pass. The nearest town is Big Bear City, about 13.9 km (8.6 mi) away (Onyx Summit lies ESE of town).
Onyx Summit is a mountain pass located in the San Bernardino Mountains in the southwestern part of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Situated at an elevation of 8,443 ft. (2,573 m), it is the highest mountain pass in Southern California. California State Route 38 traverses it at postmile 39.37 in the eastern part of San Bernardino National Forest.From the Wikipedia article “Onyx Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Onyx Summit 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) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 61° ENE | 8:03 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 118° ESE | 4:42 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 53m |
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 Onyx Summit, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:25 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:39 AM – 5:29 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:37 AM – 4:37 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:46 PM – 3:46 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:07 PM – 12:17 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:20 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:17 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (39%). 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 | 81 | 85 | 91 | 99 | 108 | 114 | 114 | 113 | 112 | 100 | 88 | 79 |
| Low °F | 22 | 23 | 28 | 33 | 39 | 48 | 59 | 55 | 47 | 32 | 26 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
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.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- 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 Onyx Summit, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Lake
Waterfall
LighthouseWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Juniper Springs Group Camp3.1 km (1.9 mi) · reservable
- Coon Creek Group Campground6.7 km (4.2 mi) · reservable
- Wild Horse Equestrian Family7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Heart Bar Equestrian7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Heart Bar Campground7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Onyx Summit?
What time is golden hour at Onyx Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Onyx Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Onyx Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Onyx Summit?
How far is Onyx Summit from Big Bear City?
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.