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31.3494° N108.9860° W1,547 mBortle 1Denver

Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico) Photography Guide

Mountain Pass in Hidalgo County, New Mexico · 1,547 m (5,075 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–298°
  • Clearest: May
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico) is a mountain pass in Hidalgo County, New Mexico at about 1,547 m (5,075 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Douglas, about 53 km (33 mi) away (Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico) lies E of town).

Guadalupe Pass is a mountain pass located in the Guadalupe Mountains of Hidalgo County, New Mexico. It lies at an elevation of 5075 feet or 1547 m.From the Wikipedia article “Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Elevation
1,547 m
5,075 ft
Nearest town
Douglas
53 km (33 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
May
24% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:13 PM
sunset 6:45 PM

Light at Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico)

Live
Sunrise
7:23 AM
Sunset
6:40 PM
Golden hour AM
7:08 AM – 7:56 AM
Golden hour PM
6:07 PM – 6:55 PM
Blue hour AM
6:58 AM – 7:08 AM
Blue hour PM
6:55 PM – 7:04 PM
Full darkness
8:01 PM – 6:03 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:33 PM / 1:53 AM
Day length
11h 17m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:21 AM90° E7:28 PM271° W59°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:13 AM62° ENE8:24 PM298° WNW82°14h 11m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:05 AM89° E7:14 PM271° W59°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:12 AM117° ESE5:18 PM243° WSW35°10h 06m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:50 AM7:16 AM7:52 AM5:00 PM5:36 PM6:02 PM10h 20m
February6:34 AM6:58 AM7:32 AM5:30 PM6:04 PM6:29 PM11h 05m
March7:03 AM7:27 AM7:59 AM6:52 PM7:25 PM7:49 PM11h 58m
April6:23 AM6:48 AM7:21 AM7:12 PM7:45 PM8:10 PM12h 56m
May5:54 AM6:21 AM6:55 AM7:31 PM8:06 PM8:32 PM13h 45m
June5:44 AM6:12 AM6:48 AM7:47 PM8:23 PM8:51 PM14h 11m
July5:55 AM6:23 AM6:58 AM7:47 PM8:22 PM8:50 PM14h 00m
August6:17 AM6:42 AM7:15 AM7:27 PM8:00 PM8:26 PM13h 18m
September6:37 AM7:01 AM7:33 AM6:51 PM7:23 PM7:48 PM12h 22m
October6:55 AM7:19 AM7:52 AM6:13 PM6:45 PM7:10 PM11h 26m
November6:19 AM6:44 AM7:19 AM4:44 PM5:19 PM5:44 PM10h 34m
December6:42 AM7:08 AM7:45 AM4:39 PM5:16 PM5:42 PM10h 07m

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 Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:45 AM – 5:35 AM0.819°SE → SE
March3:55 AM – 5:55 AM2.026°SE → SSE
April1:49 AM – 5:19 AM3.530°SE → S
May11:48 PM – 4:38 AM4.830°SE → SSW
June10:01 PM – 4:31 AM6.530°SE → SW
July9:58 PM – 3:08 AM5.230°SSE → SW
August9:28 PM – 12:58 AM3.530°S → SW
September8:45 PM – 10:55 PM2.227°SSW → SW
October8:06 PM – 9:06 PM1.019°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—4°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

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.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (57%). June is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F7381859310310710710399938376
Low °F19819273751595747251918
Precip. (in)0.70.60.50.20.20.53.12.41.60.60.70.7

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

  • 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.
  • Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico), closest first.

Canyon
Guadalupe Canyon14 km away · Hidalgo County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico)?
May has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.
What time is golden hour at Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico)?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:13 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:45 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:52 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico)?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 62° in June to 117° in December; sunset ranges from 298° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico)?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico)?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Guadalupe Pass (New Mexico) from Douglas?
About 53 km (33 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.