Molas Pass — a mountain pass in San Juan County, Colorado at about 3,326 m (10,912 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It is part of San Juan National Forest. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) SSE of Telluride.
Molas Pass, elevation 10,910 feet (3,330 meters), is a high mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado in the United States. The pass is in the San Juan National Forest. It is traversed by the Million Dollar Highway, U.S. Highway 550 south of Silverton, which is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. Though it is one of the higher passes in Colorado, it has only a few switchbacks on the north approach, is considerably less intimidating than Red Mountain Pass on the same highway. It is generally kept open in the winter months. Molas Pass is also the last mountain pass of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic race, where riders race the train from Durango to Silverton.From the Wikipedia article “Molas Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Molas 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 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:37 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:29 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Molas 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 48 | 52 | 61 | 69 | 81 | 85 | 87 | 83 | 82 | 71 | 62 | 50 |
| Low °F | -31 | -20 | -13 | -3 | 11 | 23 | 33 | 32 | 13 | 2 | -20 | -28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.2 |
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 Molas Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- South Mineral10.1 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Matterhorn20 km (12 mi) · reservable
- Matterhorn Cabin20 km (12 mi) · reservable
- Sunshine24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Haviland Lake Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Molas Pass?
What time is golden hour at Molas Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Molas Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Molas Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Molas Pass?
How far is Molas Pass from Telluride?
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.