Carnero Pass — a mountain pass in Saguache County, Colorado at about 3,100 m (10,171 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 37 km (23 mi) N of Del Norte.
Carnero Pass (elevation 10,166 feet (3,099 m)) is a mountain pass in Saguache County of south-central Colorado. It is located in the La Garita Mountains, a sub-range of the San Juan Mountains, and divides the waters of Houselog Creek to the north and Carnero Creek to the south. Carnero Pass is traversed by County Road 41G. The Utes and trappers had established a trail over the pass by the mid 19th Century and by the 1870s, wagons were traversing the pass.From the Wikipedia article “Carnero Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Carnero Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 59° ENE | 8:32 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 31m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Carnero Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 44 | 48 | 63 | 68 | 82 | 86 | 87 | 83 | 82 | 72 | 60 | 49 |
| Low °F | -28 | -25 | -13 | 2 | 11 | 23 | 35 | 34 | 19 | -3 | -21 | -23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
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
- 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 Carnero Pass, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Carnero Guard Station1.9 km (1.2 mi) · reservable
- Upper Crossing Guard Station15.1 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- Stone Cellar Guard Station22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Penitente Canyon Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Carnero Pass?
What time is golden hour at Carnero Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Carnero Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Carnero Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Carnero Pass?
How far is Carnero Pass from Del Norte?
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.