Pipestone Pass — a mountain pass in Silver Bow County, Montana at about 1,974 m (6,476 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 18.1 km (11.2 mi) SSE of Butte.
Pipestone Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the Continental Divide in Silver Bow County, Montana, 10 miles (16 km) south of Butte, Montana, in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, at an elevation of 6,453 feet (1,967 m). The pass marks the line between Jefferson and Silver Bow counties. The name Pipestone refers to a soft, red stone preferred by Native Americans for making pipes.From the Wikipedia article “Pipestone Pass (Montana)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pipestone 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 68° 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 | 9:24 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:09 AM | 124° SE | 4:48 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
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 | 8:56 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:15 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 | 8:05 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:22 PM | 10:01 PM | 15h 43m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:18 PM | 9:55 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 09m |
| 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 | 6:05 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:15 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:14 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:55 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 41m |
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 Pipestone 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 2 (typical truly dark 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 | 5:36 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:36 AM – 4:46 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:37 AM – 3:37 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:02 AM – 2:52 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:43 PM – 1:43 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:37 PM – 11:37 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:25 PM – 9:35 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.69 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 March as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 44 | 51 | 64 | 75 | 86 | 92 | 98 | 93 | 89 | 77 | 64 | 44 |
| Low °F | -31 | -24 | -22 | 4 | 17 | 25 | 33 | 31 | 19 | -1 | -25 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
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 Pipestone Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Hot SpringMountain PassMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Toll Mountain Campground5.6 km (3.5 mi)
- Hells Canyon Guard Station18.4 km (11.4 mi) · reservable
- Fleecer Station23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Divide Bridge Campground28 km (18 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pipestone Pass?
What time is golden hour at Pipestone Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pipestone Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pipestone Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pipestone Pass?
How far is Pipestone 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.