Geyser Pass — a mountain pass in San Juan County, Utah at about 3,209 m (10,528 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 29 km (18 mi) ESE of Moab.
Geyser Pass is a mountain pass in the La Sal Range of Utah, United States. The 10,528-foot (3,209 m) pass is not named after a geyser, but for cattleman Al Geyser, who grazed his stock in the area in the 1880s.From the Wikipedia article “Geyser Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Geyser Pass 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 240° (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) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 59° ENE | 8:45 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 120° ESE | 5:00 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:36 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Geyser Pass, 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:24 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 10:27 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:28 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 ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 59 | 62 | 77 | 85 | 98 | 102 | 104 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 73 | 59 |
| Low °F | -7 | -8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 47 | 32 | 7 | 8 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
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 Geyser Pass, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dewey Bridge Campground4.5 km (2.8 mi)
- Warner Lake5.4 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Upper Onion Creek Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi)
- Ken'S Lake Group Sites16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Ken'S Lake Campground16.7 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Geyser Pass?
What time is golden hour at Geyser Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Geyser Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Geyser Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Geyser Pass?
How far is Geyser Pass from Moab?
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.