Located in Fremont County, Idaho, Red Rock Pass is a mountain pass at about 2,180 m (7,152 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is West Yellowstone, about 34 km (21 mi) away (Red Rock Pass lies WSW of town).
Red Rock Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Rocky Mountains of the western United States. On the Continental Divide at an elevation of 7,152 feet (2,180 m) above sea level, it is just north of the eastern Centennial Mountains on the Montana–Idaho state line. The pass separates Beaverhead County, Montana, (west) from Fremont County, Idaho (east), and is traversed by an unimproved gravel road. During the Nez Perce War of 1877, a band of Nez Perce crossed the pass on August 20, shortly after the Battle of Camas Creek, en route to Yellowstone National Park.From the Wikipedia article “Red Rock Pass (Montana)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Red Rock Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 55° NE | 9:16 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 123° ESE | 4:49 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:51 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:45 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 50m |
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 Red Rock Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:20 AM – 6:00 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:17 AM – 4:47 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:24 AM – 3:44 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:42 PM – 3:12 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:27 PM – 1:47 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:26 PM – 11:46 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:18 PM – 9:48 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 36% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 32 | 33 | 54 | 69 | 79 | 86 | 96 | 94 | 87 | 76 | 58 | 37 |
| Low °F | -30 | -33 | -19 | -7 | 10 | 24 | 32 | 29 | 20 | -2 | -21 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
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 Red Rock Pass, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Lake
Mountain Pass
Wilderness Area
National Wildlife RefugeMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Upper Coffee Pot17.3 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
- Mccrea Bridge18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Flat Rock (Idaho)18.5 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
- Buttermilk20 km (12 mi) · reservable
- Big Springs Warming Hut22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red Rock Pass?
What time is golden hour at Red Rock Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Rock Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Rock Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Rock Pass?
How far is Red Rock Pass from West Yellowstone?
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.