Bannock Pass is a mountain pass in Beaverhead County, Montana at about 2,342 m (7,684 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 144 km (90 mi) SSW of Butte.
Bannock Pass is a high mountain pass in the Beaverhead Mountains, part of the Bitterroot Range in the Rocky Mountains. The pass lies on the Montana-Idaho border on the Continental Divide, at an elevation of 7,684 feet (2,342 m) above sea level. The pass is crossed by a road (Idaho State Highway 29 and Montana Secondary Highway 324) from Leadore, Idaho to Dillon, Montana. Bannock Pass should not be confused with the similarly named Bannack Pass, about 33 miles (53 km) to the southeast, which is also in the Beaverhead Mountains, on the Montana-Idaho border, and on the Continental Divide, and which has virtually the same elevation (7,679 feet [2,341 m]).From the Wikipedia article “Bannock Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bannock 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) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 55° NE | 9:23 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:08 AM | 123° ESE | 4:56 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 47m |
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 | 7:35 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:54 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 11m |
| February | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:20 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:22 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 34m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:17 PM | 9:53 PM | 15h 15m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:29 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:53 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:27 PM | 8h 49m |
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 Bannock 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 | 5:37 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:35 AM – 4:55 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:33 AM – 3:53 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:52 PM – 3:12 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:36 PM – 1:56 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:35 PM – 11:55 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:26 PM – 9:56 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 ≈ 21.94 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 37% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 38 | 46 | 61 | 70 | 81 | 87 | 93 | 91 | 87 | 77 | 62 | 44 |
| Low °F | -31 | -24 | -11 | -2 | 13 | 23 | 32 | 31 | 19 | -3 | -22 | -26 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Bannock Pass, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mcfarland Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Mcfarland Campground23 km (15 mi)
- Mcfarland Campground23 km (15 mi)
- Horse Prairie Cabin24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Agency Creek Campground27 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bannock Pass?
What time is golden hour at Bannock Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bannock Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bannock Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bannock Pass?
How far is Bannock Pass from Butte?
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.