Fajada Gap — a mountain pass in San Juan County, New Mexico — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Crownpoint, about 44 km (27 mi) away (Fajada Gap lies NNE of town).
The Fajada Gap is a geographical feature in the southwestern portion of Chaco Canyon, which is part of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Surrounding Fajada Butte, it consists of a conspicuous gap penetrating the Chacra Mesa, which comprises much of the southwestern cliff faces hemming Chaco Canyon. Fajada Gap has historically helped funnel summer and winter thunderstorms and accompanying precipitation into the Chaco Canyon area.From the Wikipedia article “Fajada Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fajada Gap 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) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 60° ENE | 8:32 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 119° ESE | 5:02 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 42m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Fajada Gap, 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:00 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 4:22 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:21 PM – 4:01 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 2:35 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:38 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:33 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 60 | 65 | 78 | 83 | 96 | 99 | 101 | 97 | 94 | 83 | 72 | 60 |
| Low °F | -4 | -4 | 8 | 19 | 23 | 35 | 49 | 46 | 28 | 13 | 8 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
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 Fajada Gap, closest first.
Rock Formation
Dark Sky Place
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fajada Gap?
What time is golden hour at Fajada Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fajada Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fajada Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fajada Gap?
How far is Fajada Gap from Crownpoint?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.