Sangre de Cristo Pass is a mountain pass in Costilla County, Colorado at about 2,886 m (9,469 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Walsenburg, about 36 km (23 mi) away (Sangre de Cristo Pass lies W of town).
Sangre de Cristo Pass, elevation 9,468-foot (2,886 m), is a mountain pass in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the U.S. State of Colorado. The pass is located immediately north of U.S. Highway 160 one half mile (800 m) northwest of North La Veta Pass. The pass separates Costilla County from Huerfano County, the Rio Grande drainage basin from the Arkansas River basin, and the headwaters of Sangre de Cristo Creek from those of Oak Creek. Sangre de Cristo Pass was a popular early route between the Rio Grande and the Arkansas River for native peoples, trappers, and traders. The pass was the site of the Spanish Fort of 1819, the only permanent structure built by the Spanish government in the Mountain West north of the present State of New Mexico.From the Wikipedia article “Sangre de Cristo Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sangre de Cristo 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) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 59° ENE | 8:26 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Sangre de Cristo 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 24° 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 | 4:59 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:06 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:08 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:18 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:12 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 ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 54 | 60 | 69 | 75 | 91 | 93 | 94 | 90 | 88 | 80 | 68 | 57 |
| Low °F | -14 | -12 | -3 | 13 | 18 | 30 | 43 | 40 | 21 | 11 | -5 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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
- 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 Sangre de Cristo Pass, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sangre de Cristo Pass?
What time is golden hour at Sangre de Cristo Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sangre de Cristo Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sangre de Cristo Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sangre de Cristo Pass?
How far is Sangre de Cristo Pass from Walsenburg?
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.