Spring Creek Pass is a mountain pass in Hinsdale County, Colorado at about 3,319 m (10,889 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 46 km (28 mi) ESE of Ouray.
Spring Creek Pass, elevation 10,898 ft (3,322 m), is a mountain pass on the Continental Divide in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The pass is traversed by State Highway 149, and the Continental Divide Trail and Colorado Trail follow the divide and cross the highway here. Somewhat unusually for a pass on the Continental Divide, it is not the highest point on the highway in the vicinity; heading north from the pass, the road climbs over the considerably higher Slumgullion Summit before descending toward Lake City.From the Wikipedia article “Spring Creek Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Spring Creek 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) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 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 Spring Creek 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 | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Spring Creek Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Wilderness AreaWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Deer Lakes (Co)9.1 km (5.7 mi) · reservable
- Bristol Head Campground13.6 km (8.4 mi)
- Williams Creek (Co)15.4 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Mill Creek Campground (Co)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Marshall Park23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Spring Creek Pass?
What time is golden hour at Spring Creek Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Spring Creek Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Spring Creek Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Spring Creek Pass?
How far is Spring Creek Pass from Ouray?
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.