Located in Park County, Colorado, Wilkerson Pass is a mountain pass at about 2,897 m (9,505 ft) above sea level. It is part of Pike National Forest. The nearest town is Woodland Park, about 41 km (25 mi) away (Wilkerson Pass lies W of town).
Wilkerson Pass, elevation 9,507 ft (2,898 m), is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains within Pike National Forest of Colorado and marks the eastern boundary of South Park (Park County, Colorado). The pass is traversed by U.S. Highway 24 with a Forest Service visitor center at the summit along with a few short trails. The summit has a mild approach on both sides and does not cause problems for vehicles in winter, generally. The pass is about 50 miles (80 km) west of Colorado Springs and is surrounded by peaks over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) with Pikes Peak of the Front Range to the east and the Collegiate Peaks of the Sawatch Range to the west.From the Wikipedia article “Wilkerson Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wilkerson 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:32 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 120° ESE | 4:44 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 25m |
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 | 8:01 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Wilkerson Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:14 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:12 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:03 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.44 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 46 | 47 | 64 | 68 | 81 | 86 | 87 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 62 | 49 |
| Low °F | -21 | -30 | -20 | -8 | 4 | 23 | 34 | 31 | 16 | -6 | -14 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
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 Wilkerson Pass, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
State Park
Natural Arch
Hot Spring
Mountain Pass
Dark Sky PlaceCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pulver Mountain Group Site4.9 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Happy Meadows7.0 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Round Mountain8.2 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Spruce Grove Campground12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Riverside (Co)12.8 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wilkerson Pass?
What time is golden hour at Wilkerson Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wilkerson Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wilkerson Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wilkerson Pass?
How far is Wilkerson Pass from Woodland Park?
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.