Located in Taos County, New Mexico, Palo Flechado Pass is a mountain pass at about 2,777 m (9,111 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Angel Fire, about 5.1 km (3.2 mi) away (Palo Flechado Pass lies WNW of town).
Palo Flechado Pass (Spanish: "tree pierced with arrows"), also called Taos Pass and Old Taos Pass, is a mountain pass located in Taos County, New Mexico, United States on the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway.From the Wikipedia article “Palo Flechado Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Palo Flechado 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 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 60° ENE | 8:23 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 119° ESE | 4:50 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Palo Flechado Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:03 AM – 4:03 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 3:42 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and July 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 | 58 | 58 | 70 | 77 | 91 | 95 | 96 | 90 | 90 | 80 | 69 | 56 |
| Low °F | -8 | -11 | 0 | 17 | 19 | 31 | 45 | 40 | 25 | 13 | 5 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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
- 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.
- Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Palo Flechado Pass, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
State Park
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Palo Flechado Pass?
What time is golden hour at Palo Flechado Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Palo Flechado Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Palo Flechado Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Palo Flechado Pass?
How far is Palo Flechado Pass from Angel Fire?
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.