Dalton Hot Springs — a hot spring in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska at about 154 m (505 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 35 km (22 mi) WSW of Craig.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dalton Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 44° (NE) at the June solstice and 133° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 316° (NW) in June to 227° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 58° in summer but only 11° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 35° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:14 AM | 44° NE | 9:41 PM | 316° NW | 58° | 17h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 272° W | 35° | 12h 14m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:21 AM | 133° SE | 3:26 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 7h 06m |
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
Steam is most visible on cold mornings; backlight from a low sun makes rising steam glow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:29 AM | 8:13 AM | 9:20 AM | 2:49 PM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 7h 44m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:07 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 42m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:11 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 09m |
| May | 3:57 AM | 4:46 AM | 5:42 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:46 PM | 16h 12m |
| June | 3:14 AM | 4:13 AM | 5:16 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:38 PM | 10:38 PM | 17h 25m |
| July | 3:41 AM | 4:35 AM | 5:34 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:21 PM | 16h 53m |
| August | 4:47 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 02m |
| September | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 46m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 31m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:31 AM | 2:49 PM | 3:51 PM | 4:32 PM | 8h 22m |
| December | 7:30 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:32 AM | 2:09 PM | 3:25 PM | 4:11 PM | 7h 08m |
Local time (America/Metlakatla), 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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 2.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show February as the clearest month (about 73% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 56 | 63 | 70 | 76 | 71 | 73 | 68 | 62 | 54 | 51 |
| Low °F | 14 | 15 | 14 | 31 | 35 | 40 | 47 | 49 | 44 | 34 | 17 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.7 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 5.4 | 6.9 | 9.7 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.3 |
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 hot spring
- Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
- Wind direction determines where steam drifts; shoot from the upwind side to see the pool.
- Condensation forms quickly on lenses; let gear acclimate and carry a cloth.
- Keep to boardwalks and marked paths — crusts around thermal features can be thin and the water dangerously hot.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Winter gives the most dramatic steam; some primitive springs are only accessible in summer.
Suggested gear: Circular polarizer, Lens cloth, Telephoto for distant pools. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dalton Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Dalton Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dalton Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dalton Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dalton Hot Springs?
How far is Dalton Hot Springs from Craig?
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.