Located in Wasatch County, Utah, Daniel's Pass is a mountain pass. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) SE of Daniel.
Daniels Pass (elevation 8,020 feet [2,440 m]) is a high mountain pass in Wasatch County, Utah traversed by U.S. Route 40. It is the summit of Daniels Canyon on the road between Heber and Strawberry Reservoir. The pass is located within the Uinta National Forest and just inside the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation.From the Wikipedia article “Daniels Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Daniel's Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 58° ENE | 8:59 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 121° ESE | 5:03 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 02m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 19m |
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 Daniel's Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:53 AM – 6:03 AM | 1.2 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:46 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:01 PM – 3:51 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:52 PM – 2:22 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:06 PM – 12:26 AM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:17 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.22 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 50 | 56 | 67 | 74 | 84 | 90 | 96 | 92 | 88 | 79 | 65 | 49 |
| Low °F | -23 | -28 | -14 | -6 | 8 | 22 | 36 | 31 | 19 | 1 | -17 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 |
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.
- 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 Daniel's Pass, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lodgepole At Heber1.5 km (0.9 mi) · reservable
- Strawberry Bay Long Term14.9 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Strawberry Bay14.9 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Currant Creek Guard Station (Ut)16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Currant Creek16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Daniel's Pass?
What time is golden hour at Daniel's Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Daniel's Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Daniel's Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Daniel's Pass?
How far is Daniel's Pass from Daniel?
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.