Located in Wayne County, Utah, Bloody Hands Gap is a mountain pass at about 1,552 m (5,092 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Capitol Reef National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 114 km (71 mi) SE of Richfield.
Bloody Hands Gap [el. 5,092 ft (1,552 m)] is a mountain pass in Wayne County, Utah. Bloody Hands Gap was named for a set of handprints painted in red on a rock wall.From the Wikipedia article “Bloody Hands Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bloody Hands Gap the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 59° ENE | 8:51 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 120° ESE | 5:08 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Bloody Hands Gap, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:46 PM – 3:56 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 2:39 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 12:37 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:33 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:35 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 59 | 65 | 74 | 81 | 94 | 97 | 100 | 97 | 96 | 83 | 71 | 59 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 30 | 46 | 43 | 25 | 13 | 0 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bloody Hands Gap, closest first.
Dark Sky Place
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Primitive Campsites At Cedar Mesa Campground18.5 km (11.5 mi)
- Mcmillan Spring Campground19.4 km (12.0 mi)
- Lower Bowns22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Fruita Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Capitol Reef Group Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bloody Hands Gap?
What time is golden hour at Bloody Hands Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bloody Hands Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bloody Hands Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bloody Hands Gap?
How far is Bloody Hands Gap from Richfield?
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.