Located in San Benito County, California, Panoche Pass is a mountain pass at about 647 m (2,123 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Pinnacles National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 36 km (22 mi) NE of Soledad.
Panoche Pass is a mountain pass within the Diablo Range in San Benito County, California connecting the southern extremity of the Santa Clara Valley in the west to the Panoche Valley and San Joaquin Valley in the east. The name Panoche Pass is used for the United States Geological Survey quadrangle map for the local area. County Route J1, also known as the Panoche Road, traverses the pass. The elevation of 2,250 feet (690 m) posted on the official highway sign is at least 130 feet (40 m) higher than that indicated on the official USGS topographic map of the area.From the Wikipedia article “Panoche Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Panoche 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) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 60° ENE | 8:27 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 119° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 40m |
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 Panoche 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:08 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:00 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:08 AM – 4:08 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:17 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:11 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:25 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.33 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (49%). 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 | 80 | 77 | 83 | 92 | 103 | 108 | 113 | 110 | 113 | 102 | 90 | 77 |
| Low °F | 20 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 37 | 42 | 47 | 48 | 44 | 36 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 4.1 |
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
- 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.
- Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Panoche Pass, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Panoche Pass?
What time is golden hour at Panoche Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Panoche Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Panoche Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Panoche Pass?
How far is Panoche Pass from Soledad?
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.