Located in Fremont County, Idaho, Targhee Pass is a mountain pass at about 2,158 m (7,080 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 13.6 km (8.5 mi) W of West Yellowstone.
Targhee Pass is a mountain pass in the western United States on the Continental Divide. It is located along the border between southeastern Idaho and southwestern Montana, in the Henrys Lake Mountains at an elevation of 7,072 feet (2,156 m) above sea level. The pass is named for a Bannock chief. U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) crosses the pass, approximately fifteen miles (24 km) west of West Yellowstone, on the western boundary of Yellowstone National Park. The pass provides the most direct access to the park from southern Idaho. The pass is located in the Caribou–Targhee National Forest. Henrys Lake, the headwaters of the Henrys Fork, a tributary of the Snake River is located just west of the pass. Hebgen Lake, a reservoir on the Madison River, a tributary of the Missouri River, is located just north of the pass.From the Wikipedia article “Targhee Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Targhee 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) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 55° NE | 9:15 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:00 AM | 123° ESE | 4:48 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 48m |
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 | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 49m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:50 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:51 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:23 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:44 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 50m |
Local time (America/Boise), 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 Targhee Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:25 AM – 3:45 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:44 PM – 3:04 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:28 PM – 1:48 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:27 PM – 11:47 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:18 PM – 9:48 PM | 0.5 | 12° | 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
- 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.
- 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 Targhee Pass, closest first.
Lake
Mountain PassMountain PassMountain Pass
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Basin Station Cabin5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Lonesomehurst Campground7.7 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Rainbow Point Campground13.8 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Bakers Hole (Mt)13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Big Springs Grp. Area - Island Park19.7 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Targhee Pass?
What time is golden hour at Targhee Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Targhee Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Targhee Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Targhee Pass?
How far is Targhee 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.