Lewis and Clark Pass is a mountain pass in Lewis and Clark County, Montana at about 1,958 m (6,424 ft) above sea level. It is part of Helena National Forest. The nearest town is Lincoln, about 28 km (18 mi) away (Lewis and Clark Pass lies NE of town).
Lewis and Clark Pass is a mountain pass on the continental divide in Montana, United States, at an elevation of 6,424 feet (1,958 m) above sea level. The pass lies at the head of the drainages of the west-flowing Blackfoot River and the east-flowing Dearborn River, in the Helena National Forest in Lewis and Clark County. The Continental Divide Trail traverses north and south through the pass. In the early 19th century, the pass was a heavily-used pathway where native peoples crossed over the continental divide. The pass was crossed by Meriwether Lewis with a party of nine men and his dog Seaman on July 7, 1806, on the return leg of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The pass is named for the expedition's two leaders, Lewis and William Clark.From the Wikipedia article “Lewis and Clark Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lewis and Clark Pass 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) | 7:33 AM | 89° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 53° NE | 9:30 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:14 AM | 125° SE | 4:43 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 29m |
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 | 7:38 AM | 8:12 AM | 9:02 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 8h 55m |
| February | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:19 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 04m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:08 PM | 15h 54m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:23 PM | 10:01 PM | 15h 33m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 15m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:30 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:15 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 22m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:10 AM | 9:02 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 8h 31m |
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 Lewis and Clark Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.0 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | 5:58 AM – 5:58 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:53 AM – 4:43 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:01 AM – 3:31 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:28 AM – 2:28 AM | 2.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 12:02 AM – 1:22 AM | 1.3 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:46 PM – 11:26 PM | 0.7 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 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 36% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 53 | 54 | 72 | 79 | 86 | 93 | 99 | 94 | 89 | 82 | 66 | 47 |
| Low °F | -28 | -27 | -25 | 2 | 10 | 29 | 34 | 35 | 9 | -1 | -21 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 |
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 Lewis and Clark Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
National Forest
Wilderness Area
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Indian Meadows Guard Station14.4 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Cummings Cabin18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Aspen Grove Group Use Area (Helena-Lewis And Clark Nf, Mt)19.5 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lewis and Clark Pass?
What time is golden hour at Lewis and Clark Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lewis and Clark Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lewis and Clark Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lewis and Clark Pass?
How far is Lewis and Clark Pass from Lincoln?
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.