Located in Grand County, Colorado, Boulder-Grand Pass is a mountain pass at about 3,681 m (12,077 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Rocky Mountain National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Estes Park, about 21 km (13 mi) away (Boulder-Grand Pass lies SW of town).
Boulder-Grand Pass, elevation 12,077 ft (3,681 m), is a mountain pass that crosses the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado in the United States.From the Wikipedia article “Boulder-Grand Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Boulder-Grand Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 58° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 121° ESE | 4:41 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 24m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 01m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 20m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Boulder-Grand Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.2 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:39 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:29 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 2:00 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 9:56 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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 ≈ 21.28 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 46 | 48 | 65 | 71 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 88 | 85 | 74 | 62 | 50 |
| Low °F | -26 | -31 | -15 | -3 | 5 | 27 | 36 | 31 | 19 | -4 | -12 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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
- 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 Boulder-Grand Pass, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Mountain PassWaterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Rocky Mountain National Park Longs Peak Campground11.0 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Meeker Park Overflow Campground11.6 km (7.2 mi)
- Olive Ridge12.6 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Rocky Mountain National Park Glacier Basin Campground13.3 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Pawnee13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Boulder-Grand Pass?
What time is golden hour at Boulder-Grand Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Boulder-Grand Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Boulder-Grand Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Boulder-Grand Pass?
How far is Boulder-Grand Pass from Estes Park?
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.