Located in Montrose County, Colorado, Cerro Summit is a mountain pass. It lies in or next to Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) E of Montrose.
Cerro Summit (elevation 8,042 feet (2,451 m)) is a mountain pass in the State of Colorado, located about 14 miles east of Montrose, Colorado. It divides the watershed of the Cimmaron River to the east and the Uncompahgre River to the west, both of which eventually flow into the Gunnison River. The summit is traversed by U.S. Route 50. Until 1949, Cerro Summit was part of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad's Black Canyon line which ran between Gunnison and Montrose. When constructed in 1882, the route was originally part of the D&RGW's transcontinental line to Salt Lake City and remained so until more direct routes were built in the early 20th century. Although grades on U.S. 50 are gentle, the former rail line over Cerro Summit had a ruling gradient of 4% or 1 in 25 and it was not uncommon for most freight trains to require a banker. Since 2015, Cerro Summit has been home to...From the Wikipedia article “Cerro Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cerro Summit 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:39 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Cerro Summit, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 53 | 52 | 66 | 72 | 87 | 92 | 93 | 88 | 86 | 76 | 64 | 51 |
| Low °F | -21 | -15 | -8 | 6 | 18 | 22 | 35 | 33 | 22 | 1 | -5 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
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.
- 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.
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 Cerro Summit, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Dark Sky Place
Botanical GardenScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cimarron Campground7.5 km (4.6 mi)
- Cimarron Campground (Co)7.5 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- East Portal Campground9.1 km (5.7 mi)
- East Portal Campground9.1 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
- Black Canyon Of The Gunnison South Rim Campground12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cerro Summit?
What time is golden hour at Cerro Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cerro Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cerro Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cerro Summit?
How far is Cerro Summit from Montrose?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.