Daggett Pass — a mountain pass in Douglas County, Nevada at about 2,237 m (7,339 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest. The nearest town is Kingsbury, about 1.6 km (1.0 mi) away (Daggett Pass lies E of town).
Daggett Pass is a road mountain pass located in the Carson Range, a spur of the Sierra Nevada. It sits at an elevation of 7,343 ft (2,238 m) in Douglas County, Nevada, on the border between the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to the west and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to the east. The mountain pass is traversed by State Route 207 and is frequently referred to as Kingsbury Grade.From the Wikipedia article “Daggett Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Daggett Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 59° ENE | 8:29 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 120° ESE | 4:41 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 27m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Daggett Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:27 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:10 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:06 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 20.87 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 61 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 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
- 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.
- Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
- 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 Daggett Pass, closest first.
Hot Spring
Rock Formation
National ForestHot Spring
Canyon
Mountain PassCanyonHot Spring
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Nevada Beach Campground5.5 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Zephyr Cove Rv & Campground5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Hope Valley9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Badgers Den At Camp Richardson Resort14.0 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Eagles Nest At Camp Richardson Resort14.0 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Daggett Pass?
What time is golden hour at Daggett Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Daggett Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Daggett Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Daggett Pass?
How far is Daggett Pass from Kingsbury?
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.