High Pass (Oregon) — a mountain pass in Lane County, Oregon at about 464 m (1,522 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Junction City, about 19.7 km (12.2 mi) away (High Pass (Oregon) lies W of town).
High Pass is a mountain pass in the foothills of the Coast Range mountains in Lane County, Oregon, United States. High Pass Road connects the unincorporated community of Horton, on the west side of the pass, with Cheshire, Monroe, Junction City, and the other low-lying farm towns to the east. Oregon Route 36 provides an alternate route through the foothills over the nearby Low Pass.From the Wikipedia article “High Pass (Oregon)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At High Pass (Oregon) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 55° NE | 9:02 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 123° ESE | 4:38 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 51m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:10 PM | 8h 53m |
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 High Pass (Oregon), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:04 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:10 AM – 3:40 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:27 PM – 2:57 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:12 PM – 1:42 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 11:43 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:35 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August 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 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 89 | 94 | 80 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 19 | 23 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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
- 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.
- Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 High Pass (Oregon), closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Waterfall
State Park
Ghost Town
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
National Wildlife Refuge
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Alsea Falls Recreation Site (Campground)10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Richardson Campground16.2 km (10.0 mi)
- River Edge29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph High Pass (Oregon)?
What time is golden hour at High Pass (Oregon)?
Where does the sun rise and set at High Pass (Oregon)?
Can you see the Milky Way from High Pass (Oregon)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at High Pass (Oregon)?
How far is High Pass (Oregon) from Junction 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.