Yaqui Pass, California — a mountain pass in San Diego County, California at about 531 m (1,742 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 12.4 km (7.7 mi) S of Borrego Springs.
Yaqui Pass is a mountain pass on CR S3 in San Diego County in the U.S. state of California. The pass lies at an elevation of 1,742 ft (531 m) and is located within Anza-Borrego Desert State Park approximately 2 mi (3.2 km) east of the SR 78 and traverses the Santa Rosa Mountains.From the Wikipedia article “Yaqui Pass, California”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Yaqui Pass, California 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 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 61° ENE | 7:58 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 118° ESE | 4:43 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:56 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Yaqui Pass, California, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:14 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:23 AM – 4:43 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:24 PM – 4:04 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:39 PM – 3:49 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:35 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:02 PM – 12:22 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:16 PM – 10:16 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:35 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.06 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (41%). 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 | 84 | 90 | 94 | 100 | 109 | 117 | 118 | 115 | 115 | 104 | 92 | 82 |
| Low °F | 26 | 28 | 33 | 37 | 42 | 48 | 59 | 56 | 48 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Yaqui Pass, California, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Dark Sky Place
Waterfall
Dark Sky Place
CanyonCanyon
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Yaqui Pass, California?
What time is golden hour at Yaqui Pass, California?
Where does the sun rise and set at Yaqui Pass, California?
Can you see the Milky Way from Yaqui Pass, California?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Yaqui Pass, California?
How far is Yaqui Pass, California from Borrego Springs?
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.