Located in Silver Bow County, Montana, Elk Park Pass is a mountain pass at about 1,936 m (6,352 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Butte, about 6.9 km (4.3 mi) away (Elk Park Pass lies ENE of town).
Elk Park Pass, elevation 6,352 ft (1,936 m), is a mountain pass on the Continental Divide in southwestern Montana, about 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Butte. It is traversed by Interstate 15 and is one of three crossings of the Divide by the Interstate (all in Montana), the others being Monida Pass (on the border with Idaho) and Deer Lodge Pass southwest of Butte. Elk Park Pass lies on the border between Silver Bow and Jefferson counties and is remarkable for its highly asymmetrical nature. The approach from the north is through namesake Elk Park, a high, mostly treeless plain (like South Park in Colorado or the Sierra Valley in California), and the grade is almost imperceptible. The elevation at the northeast end of the park, about 10 miles (16 km) from the pass, is about 6,200 ft (1,900 m), only 152 ft (46 m) lower than the pass itself. However, at the south end, the highway drops...From the Wikipedia article “Elk Park Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Elk Park Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 89° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 54° NE | 9:25 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:10 AM | 124° SE | 4:48 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 38m |
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 | 8:09 AM | 8:56 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 03m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 57m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:23 PM | 10:02 PM | 15h 44m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:19 PM | 9:55 PM | 15h 24m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:28 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:15 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 28m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:56 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Elk Park Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:46 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:37 AM – 4:47 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:40 AM – 3:40 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:06 AM – 2:56 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:46 PM – 1:36 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:39 PM – 11:39 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:26 PM – 9:36 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.56 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 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 | 48 | 52 | 69 | 76 | 86 | 92 | 98 | 94 | 88 | 81 | 66 | 45 |
| Low °F | -25 | -28 | -28 | 7 | 15 | 26 | 34 | 31 | 20 | -4 | -25 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Elk Park Pass, closest first.
Mountain PassMountain Pass
Hot SpringMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Freedom Point Picnic Area12.5 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Sheepshead Picnic Area13.3 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Toll Mountain Campground22 km (14 mi)
- High Rye Cabin29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Fleecer Station30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Elk Park Pass?
What time is golden hour at Elk Park Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Elk Park Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Elk Park Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Elk Park Pass?
How far is Elk Park 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.