Located in Kootenai County, Idaho, Fourth of July Summit is a mountain pass. It sits roughly 20 km (12 mi) ESE of Coeur d'Alene.
Fourth of July Summit is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of the northwestern United States, located in northern Idaho. Its elevation is 3,081 feet (939 m) above sea level on Interstate 90 in central Kootenai County, east of the city of Coeur d'Alene. The summit marks the western end of the Silver Valley mining district, which extends east, along the Coeur d'Alene River and Interstate 90 into Shoshone County to Lookout Pass on the Montana border.From the Wikipedia article “Fourth of July Summit”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fourth of July Summit the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:49 AM | 53° NE | 8:48 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 125° SE | 3:58 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 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 | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:25 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:33 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:55 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:54 PM | 15h 08m |
| June | 4:08 AM | 4:49 AM | 5:37 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 58m |
| July | 4:26 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:20 PM | 15h 36m |
| August | 5:09 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:18 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 17m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:20 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:17 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:40 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:45 PM | 9h 19m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:21 AM | 3:03 PM | 3:56 PM | 4:32 PM | 8h 27m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Fourth of July Summit, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:20 AM – 4:00 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:19 AM – 2:39 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:50 PM – 1:40 AM | 1.8 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:21 PM – 12:41 AM | 1.3 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 10:34 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.49 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 49 | 54 | 65 | 79 | 87 | 101 | 100 | 105 | 94 | 85 | 61 | 48 |
| Low °F | -20 | -19 | -10 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 38 | 38 | 22 | 2 | -18 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.1 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 5.0 | 4.9 |
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
- 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.
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Fourth of July Summit, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Beauty Creek Campground10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Honeysuckle Campground13.6 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Bumblebee Campground18.4 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
- Mokins Bay Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Bell Bay Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fourth of July Summit?
What time is golden hour at Fourth of July Summit?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fourth of July Summit?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fourth of July Summit?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fourth of July Summit?
How far is Fourth of July Summit from Coeur d'Alene?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.