Located in Yakima County, Washington, Naches Pass is a mountain pass at about 1,502 m (4,928 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 35 km (22 mi) WSW of Cle Elum.
Naches Pass (elevation 4,928 feet (1,502 m)) is a mountain pass in the Cascade Range in the state of Washington. It is located about 50 miles (80 km) east of Tacoma and about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Yakima, near the headwaters of tributary streams of the Naches River on the east and the Greenwater River on the west. The boundaries of Pierce, King, Kittitas, and Yakima counties come together at the pass. The pass lies on the boundary between the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Wenatchee National Forests, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Mount Rainier National Park. There are no roadways or railways crossing the pass.From the Wikipedia article “Naches Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Naches Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 53° NE | 9:05 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 125° SE | 4:19 PM | 236° SW | 19° | 8h 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 | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:18 PM | 8h 55m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 04m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:58 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 53m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:12 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 32m |
| August | 5:30 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 15m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:50 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 22m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:53 PM | 8h 31m |
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 Naches Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:27 AM – 4:17 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:34 AM – 3:04 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:59 PM – 2:09 AM | 2.2 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:34 PM – 1:04 AM | 1.5 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:20 PM – 11:00 PM | 0.7 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.38 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 36% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 53 | 49 | 59 | 71 | 78 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 89 | 72 | 57 | 46 |
| Low °F | -16 | -11 | -4 | 6 | 20 | 28 | 36 | 35 | 27 | 5 | -10 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.9 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 10.3 | 9.6 |
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
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Naches Pass, closest first.
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Ghost TownWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Ghost TownWaterfall
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- The Dalles Campground15.5 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Silver Springs Campground15.5 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Salmon Cove Group Site16.0 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Hells Crossing Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Pleasant Valley Campground16.5 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Naches Pass?
What time is golden hour at Naches Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Naches Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Naches Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Naches Pass?
How far is Naches Pass from Cle Elum?
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.