Soledad Pass — a mountain pass in Los Angeles County, California at about 978 m (3,209 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Vincent, about 800 m away (Soledad Pass lies NNE of town).
Soledad Pass, elevation 3,209 ft (978 m), is a mountain pass in northern Los Angeles County, California. It is located at the highest point along Soledad Canyon, which winds between the Sierra Pelona Mountains to the northwest and the San Gabriel Mountains to the southeast. The pass provides a direct route between the Santa Clara River watershed and the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert. The pass is also notable as the lowest crossing of the Great Basin Divide between the Sierra Nevada and the San Bernardino Mountains.From the Wikipedia article “Soledad Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Soledad Pass 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) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 61° ENE | 8:09 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:56 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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 | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 52m |
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 Soledad Pass, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:46 PM – 4:06 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:53 PM – 3:53 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:48 PM – 2:28 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:13 PM – 12:23 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:22 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.84 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (42%). 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 | 84 | 87 | 93 | 99 | 109 | 110 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 51 | 43 | 35 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
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 Soledad Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Scenic Viewpoint
National Forest
Fire Lookout
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lightning Point Group Campground16.3 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Bandido Group Campground20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Meadow Group Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Coulter Group Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Chilao Campground - Little Pines Loop23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Soledad Pass?
What time is golden hour at Soledad Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Soledad Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Soledad Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Soledad Pass?
How far is Soledad Pass from Vincent?
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.