Hayden Pass — a mountain pass in Saguache County, Colorado at about 3,254 m (10,676 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Salida, about 30 km (19 mi) away (Hayden Pass lies SSE of town).
Hayden Pass is a mountain pass in Colorado over the Sangre de Cristo Range. It is traversed by a jeep trail that starts, at the west end, at Villa Grove, Colorado and, at the east end, at Coaldale, Colorado. The Hayden Creek drainage, on the east side of the pass, was the site of the Hayden Pass Fire. The elevation at the top of the pass is 10,676 feet (3,254 m).From the Wikipedia article “Hayden Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hayden 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 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) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 59° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 120° ESE | 4:47 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Hayden Pass, 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 | 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:08 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:25 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:18 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:14 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 ≈ 21.79 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 56 | 57 | 70 | 74 | 87 | 91 | 91 | 89 | 87 | 78 | 67 | 54 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -8 | 10 | 16 | 28 | 41 | 38 | 21 | -1 | -7 | -16 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
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.
- 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 Hayden Pass, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hayden Creek4.7 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- Coaldale Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi)
- Lake Creek (Co)16.9 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Brewery Creek Guard Station28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Ohaver Lake30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hayden Pass?
What time is golden hour at Hayden Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hayden Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hayden Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hayden Pass?
How far is Hayden Pass from Salida?
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.