Hurricane Pass — a mountain pass in Teton County, Wyoming at about 3,151 m (10,338 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Grand Teton National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Driggs, about 21 km (13 mi) away (Hurricane Pass lies E of town).
Hurricane Pass is a pedestrian mountain pass located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated at approximately 10,338 ft (3,151 m) above sea level, the pass can be accessed from the south by way of the Teton Crest Trail or from the north via the South Fork Cascade Canyon Trail. From Jenny Lake the roundtrip hike is 24.8 mi (39.9 km) with a 4,500 ft (1,400 m) elevation gain. Schoolroom Glacier is 100 yd (91 m) from the pass. Views of the west slopes of several of the highest Teton Range peaks as well as Alaska Basin and Battleship Mountain in Caribou-Targhee National Forest are available at the pass.From the Wikipedia article “Hurricane Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hurricane Pass the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 56° NE | 9:10 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 123° ESE | 4:50 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 55m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 26m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 57m |
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 Hurricane Pass, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:11 AM – 4:51 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:15 AM – 3:45 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:30 PM – 3:10 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 1:57 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:20 PM – 11:50 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 9:53 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 38% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 33 | 33 | 52 | 69 | 78 | 85 | 92 | 89 | 83 | 74 | 57 | 37 |
| Low °F | -32 | -31 | -23 | -10 | 5 | 22 | 28 | 29 | 18 | -3 | -19 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.9 |
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.
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 Hurricane Pass, closest first.
Glacier
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Teton Canyon6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Reunion Flat8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Jenny Lake Campground10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Gros Ventre Campground18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Signal Mountain Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hurricane Pass?
What time is golden hour at Hurricane Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hurricane Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hurricane Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hurricane Pass?
How far is Hurricane Pass from Driggs?
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.