Mount Meek Pass — a mountain pass in Teton County, Wyoming at about 2,962 m (9,718 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Grand Teton National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 17.8 km (11.1 mi) N of Moose Wilson Road.
Mount Meek Pass is a pedestrian mountain pass located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The pass is situated at 9,718 ft (2,962 m) above sea level and is accessed by way of the Teton Crest Trail and is immediately east of Mount Meek. Mount Meek Pass is more than 12 mi (19 km) from the nearest trailhead. To the south of the pass lies Death Canyon Shelf within Grand Teton National Park, while to the north can be found the region known as Alaska Basin, which is in Caribou-Targhee National Forest.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Meek Pass”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Meek 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 304° (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) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 56° NE | 9:09 PM | 304° 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 18m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 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 | 6:41 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 5:22 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 | 6:42 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 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 Mount Meek 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 2 (typical truly dark 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 | 5:16 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:12 AM – 4:52 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:46 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:31 PM – 3:11 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:18 PM – 1:58 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 11:51 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 9:54 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.89 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
- 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.
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 Mount Meek Pass, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Lake
GlacierCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Teton Canyon8.8 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Reunion Flat10.2 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Jenny Lake Campground14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Gros Ventre Campground18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Trail Creek21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Meek Pass?
What time is golden hour at Mount Meek Pass?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Meek Pass?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Meek Pass?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Meek Pass?
How far is Mount Meek Pass from Moose Wilson Road?
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.