Goose Gap — a mountain pass in Benton County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is West Richland, about 6.6 km (4.1 mi) away (Goose Gap lies S of town).
Goose Gap is a small pass connecting Badger Mountain to Candy Mountain to the west of Richland, Washington. It lies significantly higher than most of the Tri-Cities and is crossed by Interstate 182 just after its western terminus. An average of 18,000 people cross Goose Gap daily. There are residential areas on both sides of I-182 to the east of the gap, but to the west is mostly agriculture. The non-profit organization Friends of Badger Mountain is planning a new hiking trail to connect Badger Mountain to Candy Mountain, which will cross Goose Gap in a north-to-south direction, perpendicular to the Interstate.From the Wikipedia article “Goose Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Goose Gap the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:06 AM | 54° NE | 8:54 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 124° SE | 4:15 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 36m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:25 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 01m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 4:50 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 59m |
| June | 4:27 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:52 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 46m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 26m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:25 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:47 PM | 8h 38m |
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 Goose Gap, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:13 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:09 AM – 2:59 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:36 PM – 2:16 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 1:06 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 10:57 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 9:04 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.5 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 26% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (79%). 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 | 64 | 64 | 76 | 89 | 99 | 108 | 110 | 109 | 102 | 87 | 70 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | 7 | 12 | 27 | 33 | 42 | 49 | 48 | 34 | 19 | 15 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.6 |
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 Goose Gap, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Lighthouse
Rock Formation
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Goose Gap?
What time is golden hour at Goose Gap?
Where does the sun rise and set at Goose Gap?
Can you see the Milky Way from Goose Gap?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Goose Gap?
How far is Goose Gap from West Richland?
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.