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35.7914° N106.6872° W1,989 mBortle 2Denver

Hot Springs Cave Photography Guide

Cave in Sandoval County, New Mexico · 1,989 m (6,526 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–300°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Hot Springs Cave is a cave in Sandoval County, New Mexico at about 1,989 m (6,526 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Jemez Pueblo, about 20 km (12 mi) away (Hot Springs Cave lies N of town).

Elevation
1,989 m
6,526 ft
Nearest town
Jemez Pueblo
20 km (12 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
October
32% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:58 PM
sunset 6:32 PM

Light at Hot Springs Cave

Live
Sunrise
7:18 AM
Sunset
6:26 PM
Golden hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:53 AM
Golden hour PM
5:51 PM – 6:42 PM
Blue hour AM
6:52 AM – 7:02 AM
Blue hour PM
6:42 PM – 6:52 PM
Full darkness
7:51 PM – 5:54 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:30 PM / 1:35 AM
Day length
11h 08m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Hot Springs Cave the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:11 AM90° E7:19 PM271° W54°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:52 AM60° ENE8:27 PM300° WNW78°14h 35m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:55 AM89° E7:05 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:14 AM119° ESE4:57 PM241° WSW31°9h 44m

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

Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:49 AM7:17 AM7:55 AM4:38 PM5:17 PM5:45 PM10h 00m
February6:29 AM6:55 AM7:30 AM5:14 PM5:49 PM6:15 PM10h 54m
March6:53 AM7:18 AM7:52 AM6:41 PM7:15 PM7:40 PM11h 56m
April6:08 AM6:34 AM7:09 AM7:06 PM7:40 PM8:07 PM13h 06m
May5:34 AM6:02 AM6:39 AM7:29 PM8:06 PM8:34 PM14h 03m
June5:21 AM5:51 AM6:29 AM7:47 PM8:25 PM8:55 PM14h 34m
July5:33 AM6:03 AM6:40 AM7:47 PM8:24 PM8:53 PM14h 21m
August5:59 AM6:26 AM7:01 AM7:23 PM7:58 PM8:25 PM13h 32m
September6:25 AM6:50 AM7:24 AM6:42 PM7:16 PM7:41 PM12h 25m
October6:48 AM7:14 AM7:48 AM5:58 PM6:32 PM6:58 PM11h 18m
November6:17 AM6:44 AM7:21 AM4:24 PM5:01 PM5:28 PM10h 17m
December6:42 AM7:10 AM7:50 AM4:16 PM4:55 PM5:24 PM9h 45m

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 Hot Springs Cave, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February4:55 AM – 5:25 AM0.515°SE → SE
March4:00 AM – 5:50 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April2:01 AM – 5:01 AM3.025°SE → S
May12:06 AM – 4:16 AM4.225°SE → SSW
June10:14 PM – 3:54 AM5.725°SE → SW
July10:09 PM – 2:29 AM4.325°SSE → SW
August9:32 PM – 12:32 AM3.025°S → SW
September8:42 PM – 10:32 PM1.822°SSW → SW
October7:58 PM – 8:28 PM0.515°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 21.7 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F65707986971031029896867364
Low °F0-31320253852483118114
Precip. (in)0.70.70.70.70.70.72.41.91.71.20.71.0

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 cave

  • Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
  • Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
  • Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
  • Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.

Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Hot Springs Cave, closest first.

Natural Arch
Soda Dam0.1 km away · Sandoval County
Hot Spring
Jemez Hot Springs2.4 km away · Sandoval County
Jemez FallsWaterfall
Jemez Falls8.1 km away · Sandoval County · 2,374 m
Hot Spring
Spence Hot Spring8.3 km away · Sandoval County
Scenic Viewpoint
Jemez Canyon Overlook9.2 km away · Sandoval County · 2,490 m
Fenton Lake State ParkState Park
Fenton Lake State Park11 km away · Sandoval County
Valles Caldera National PreserveDark Sky Place
Valles Caldera National Preserve14 km away · Sandoval County
Hot Spring
San Antonio Hot Spring17 km away · Sandoval County
Volcano
Valles Caldera17 km away · Sandoval County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Hot Springs Cave?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
What time is golden hour at Hot Springs Cave?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:58 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:32 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:48 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Hot Springs Cave?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Hot Springs Cave?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hot Springs Cave?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Hot Springs Cave from Jemez Pueblo?
About 20 km (12 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.