Located in Clark County, Nevada, Railroad Pass is a mountain pass at about 719 m (2,359 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Boulder City, about 7.4 km (4.6 mi) away (Railroad Pass lies W of town).
Railroad Pass, 2,358 ft (719 m), is a mountain pass through the Black Hills of the River Mountains in the southeastern portion of the city of Henderson, Nevada, which is part of the Las Vegas Valley. Traversed by the Union Pacific Railroad's Boulder City spur of the Henderson branch line and Purple Heart Highway (I-11/US 93/US 95), the pass connects Henderson with Boulder City. In 1998, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) paved over the at-grade crossing of the railroad tracks on Boulder Highway. The sharp skew angle (64 degrees) at this junction, high speeds on the highway, and little to no rail usage made this dangerous crossing a prime candidate for elimination. However, the historical significance of this rail spur and futureFrom the Wikipedia article “Railroad Pass (Nevada)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Railroad Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:44 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:24 AM | 60° ENE | 8:00 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:47 AM | 119° ESE | 4:30 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
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 | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 5:50 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:01 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:28 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Railroad Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:28 AM – 4:58 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 4:34 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 3:50 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:49 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 2:03 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:06 PM – 12:06 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:15 PM – 9:55 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:31 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.19 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 79 | 79 | 91 | 98 | 107 | 115 | 116 | 112 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 76 |
| Low °F | 19 | 21 | 26 | 32 | 39 | 51 | 64 | 59 | 47 | 28 | 23 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
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 Railroad Pass, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Beach
Hot SpringHot SpringHot SpringHot SpringHot Spring
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Boulder Beach Group Campsites11.9 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Lake Mead Rv Village12.0 km (7.5 mi)
- Boulder Beach Campground12.1 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Las Vegas Bay Campground17.0 km (10.6 mi)
- Las Vegas Bay Campground17.0 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Railroad Pass?
What time is golden hour at Railroad Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Railroad Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Railroad Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Railroad Pass?
How far is Railroad Pass from Boulder City?
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.